public domain photo

Black Friday

Yesterday you masticated
until appetites were sated.
Then certain relatives orated,
argued, harangued and debated—
their monologues all unrelated.

Trapped, you were all educated
in what they sanctioned, what they hated.
Admit it, weren’t you elated,
when that last politician was rated,
and the last argument abated?

Once all your visitors were gated,
those final good-byes terminated,
and their ills excoriated,
you could prepare for what was fated.
Your choice was unequivocated.

Now that you’d heard and eaten all,
Tomorrow, you’d consume the mall.

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States (the fourth Thursday of November). Since 1932, it has been regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season in the U.S., and most major retailers open very early (and more recently during overnight hours) and offer promotional sales.

The prompt today is “sated.”