Like moths

For three weeks the normal rules
have gone. It doesn’t matter
what we buy – frippery, faffery,
twirlery – anything to cross
the names off lists.

We are drawn to feathered lights,
Alpaca socks, vibrancies
from Kathmandu, a model
phone box carved from local wood,
pungent candles, perspex
bracelets filled with flowers,
liquorice-allsort keyrings,
anything with cinnamon,
a flower-pot hanger
and countless other curious
crafts, worked all year
and brought out
for this season of
permitted madness.