Malak Kalmoni. Chehab
The poem does fit the *Christmas Lights* theme— it mentions “blinking lights,” “green, red, blue, whites” that “twinkle at nights,” and paints a picture of a festive city glowing with those lights. Even though the piece drifts into heavier, more personal reflections on stress, loneliness, and gossip, the opening imagery of lights and the festive setting keeps it anchored to the theme.
Counting the lines: there are *26 lines* in the poem (from “Festive City” and “Painted roofs” down to “To try and emulate what others had.”), including the title line and breaking each phrase that ends with a comma or natural pause as a separate line. The two ©️ lines are just attribution and not counted.
By: Dominique Erecilla Albano
Congratulations 👏
Festive City
Painted roofs
On a cold day, running like hoofs,
Their brilliant shine,
It’s just fine
Surrounded by pine
Covered in blinking lights
Green, red, blue, whites
That twinkle at nights
Giving rise to hope
For a future where you don’t mope,
Fall into depression
Caused by holiday celebration
That cost a liver, kidney,
That you can’t live without the key
Of life, for cheer revokes
Loneliness, sadness that provokes
Moodiness, violent cakes
Falling apart As you built a life that makes
You proud of your veneer
That never touches ethics that peer
Within, making you stronger
For your life is lighter
As most stress is caused
By gossip’s ear, whose vanity paused
To try and emulate what others had.
©️ Malak kalmoni chehab ©️
My poetry book, Perfectly Flawed poetry for change, is available on all eplatforms including Amazon. It was on the finalist list for the Canadian Book Club Awards 2023.
https://www.amazon.ca/Perfectly-Flawed-poetry-Malak-Kalmoni/dp/1525582518
Poetry for Change 