SOMETIMES

This poem is lovingly dedicated to my dog-niece, Zoey, who was everything wonderful about snow ... and life. She loved everyone lavishly and had a soulful exuberance to life that is missed by all of us. There was and there will always be one Zoey Girl. Her passing took our breath away, just like snow sometimes does as it falls.


Sometimes

When
     I write poetry
 I forget it is one digit writing
          From my good hand.

     I don't hear radios or tvs
            Or the groaning in the house.

I sometimes remember snow
                  As it drifts outside
           My window.
    Little white flurries flicker
 Across the periphery
                Of my eye
                      While Chance sniffs
                                       My hoodie.

                       Washing machine chugs along.

     And yet there is a stillness,
 A certain silence in the house,
             Zoey, in reflection, at the top of the stairs,
       One eye ready to open if a sound comes near.
                      Others off to work and school
                                 Tire prints fresh in snow.

I sometimes remember snow
         And lying face down in it.

                 S u d d e n l y
                       Then my world changed
                 Red bleeding into white
                             A dramatic interlude.

Sometimes I remember that.

             Mainly, I feel the snow
        Outside the window
                      The snow that recently left,
                                                             Melted.

 Or fresh puffs, white powder promise
          For thirsty lakes, parched from dry spells.

Sometimes I remember snow, snow balls and snow people,
     Scooping up fresh snowy heaps
                                  Glistening in sun
          Snow flurry pilings
                            That our dog did not find.

    Placed gently in a bowl, adding Hersey's
                 Chocolate, eating snow blizzards,
             Laughing with others
   Teeth chattering, cold and wet under
                           Coats and gloves.

I remember snow...

              First ski attempts, floundering,
       Collapsing in a snowy white mass,
                       Giggling, soaked and soggy
                  Falling again and again
                                   Slipping and sliding
             Sometimes on the
                            Hand held ski tow
                                            That pulls you way up
                               As you Lean Way Back
                                            It's nothing like riding a horse!

     Reaching the summit
         In my case sometimes,
                     Less than my friends,
               Pros at laughter
                         And scant snowy tumbles.

           Red fire logs burning,
                        In Ski Lodge Paradise.
                                   Hot chocolate never
                                                    Tasted so good.

                            Yet never missing it when I left.

            Though Snow makes for pretty pictures,
      Snow Angels,
               Laughter with nieces,
      Funny snow people with carrot noses,
         Joy with
               Puppies and dogs
                       As they run astonished,
      In Snowy cold satisfaction,
Up hilly mounds and down,
            Legs nearly buried as they plow through.
 
   Zoey standing outside in cooling snow
                         Flurries, licking snow patches
                                        Now and again
                                                With her tongue.

                           Standing vigil as her mother drives away.

    Snow takes your breath
                    Away
                          Like now
                               When She falls,
                  Flitters, swirls,
                               And flirts
                   Carpeting Mother Earth.

     Sun, Occasional Blue Sky,
             And Puff Cotton Clouds Sigh
                        In Reverent Mountain Chants.

           Snow twitters, mummers and purrs
                                          Still falling gently.

     Sunshine bursts through happy
                                With one hand clapping.

      Pine needles glisten,
               Mirroring Sunlight.
                            Bright Happiness giggles.

    Mountain stands steady,
                        Enjoying Creation
                As the Sun Kissed Snowy
                               Carpet dozes all around.