Cheers to the Gingerbread Woman

The pretty gingerbread woman, iced in soft

White sweaters, stands at the stove. Frosting chips as she bends

To check the candy casserole. Her smile comes

to life, moving as she hums to herself.

The gingerbread man has disappeared from the scene,

Moments later, he can be seen in another house,

Standing on pretzel stick ladder, fixing a blue

Candied light bulb in the ceiling.

The gingerbread woman moves now,

Setting the table with crystal plates,

Cleaning the cookie kitchen, unbeknownst

To her, a crack climbs her leg.

He returns to find the gingerbread

Woman still preparing dinner. He

Immediately sinks into a marshmallow chair,

Losing himself in television.

The family comes, gingerbread children

And grandchildren, in multicolored icing.

The gingerbread woman

Entertains.

She rallies around her family, attending

To their every need. "Do you need anything?"

She'll ask. Her family insists she takes a break,

But she always says, "No, no, I'm fine."

By the end of the night, the

Gingerbread woman finally feels the damage.

The crack, unfixed, unattended, gets bigger,

And runs through the woman's life.

Cheers to the Gingerbread woman,

Who gave her life to take care of her

Family, who sacrificed everything for

Those she loves.

Cheers to the Gingerbread woman,

Who cracked and destroyed her life,

Whose cookie crumbled too early,

and had to be ripped from her home.

Cheers to the Gingerbread woman.