the kids squeal and run off to the tree

it is quite beautiful –
i detach my lens and assume this is when it’s going to go out
right when i decide to leave

right when i turn my back to walk out
the glow will snap shut
the reflections in the store windows will vanish
and the kids will audibly groan, but we just got here

but it never does

i eventually give up,
defeated by boredom, by cold,
by power,
an incorrectly set timer, defeated by
city government, the parks department
turning on me at last! et tu!
by bureaucracy
failing to do the simplest task
of turning off the lights when the park closes
or worse, deciding to leave it on!

for who?

apparently for these two kids, age 6 or 7 ish
who come barreling into the park just as i am packing up
with their
tiny mother trailing, curious about my camera
curious about me bent sad over it
in the shadow of the tree, the unvanquished tree,
christmas, undefeated still!