12 Days of the Holidays: “A wish for when I realize what matters” by Rachel Cheng

One day 
I’d like to settle down 
with a nice little boy 
in a nice little town 
We’d have 2 kids 
an old house by the sea 
two dogs
one for him, and one for me 
He’d make me breakfast in bed 
we’d kiss when the kids aren’t looking 
And every christmas we’d put up a big tree 
with all the googly gnomes we could find at the thrift store 
We’d have a real fireplace 
with a real fire 
I’d learn how to make cookies 
and the whole house would smell sweet 
And everyone would gather down at the 
little little kitchen table 
round and around
I’d change the tablecloth every month  
for july, 
a dove white lace 
for march,  
a clean green 
We’d have a small piano 
something we could all fit around 
nothing special 
just brown
He’d play us old christmas love songs 
and I’d sing Holly Jolly Christmas 
and the kids would tell me to stop 
but he’d kiss my hand 
and tell me I sound like an angel 
We’ll sing and eat and breathe and dance 
until we’re merry and hot 
and we’ll have some money, 
just not a lot 
but enough for an old house in a little town  
two dogs 
a regular piano, brown 
12 tablecloths
gnomes at the thrift store 
a christmas tree 
chocolate chips 
And a real fire

Rachel Cheng (she/her) is currently studying journalism at Toronto Metropolitan university. Rachel loves everything about stories– from telling them through various art forms, to listening to them (don’t worry, it’s not gossip, it’s journalism…). Her art and writings can be seen in CanCulture, MetRadio, and The EyeOpener.