PAPER SNOWFLAKES

When it would snow
my first grade Sister used to say,
"God's angels cutting paper,"
then teach us how to fold a paper sheet
and we would snip out paper snowflake stars
to hang upon the classroom Christmas tree.

Sister patted every little concentrating head.
"Work hard, just like all the little angels do
to trim the winter world for Blessed Baby's coming."

Today, I trim an artificial Christmas tree
with shiny, store-bought baubles.
Beyond the garden-facing window pane
I see brown stalks are blossoming again
this time with artificial heads
of fluffy white snow flowers.
And memory recalls
somewhere behind grey, lowering clouds,
a little angel group
with busy snipping scissors
as showers of crystaled paper snowflake stars
begin to flutter slowly down
from Sister Gertrude's hidden Heaven.