Bald head bronzed
& sunbleached beard
I beach my boat, build my igloo
in the coool shade.

All fairhair & freckles 
eyes like sand-dollars
danish boy races into the jungle!

Exhausted, I doze off—

             *

Crunching, crunching…  
Is it… Is it Santa?!

Shhh!   —mom whispers
Father Christmas has holidays too.

                                 —ko ngai, thailand
                                 —14 february 97