This was written after the last snow, not the most recent one that came while I was laid up with this flu thing and couldn’t go out and enjoy it.
the best
the best is when the rains come
a week after heavy snows
to wash away the dirty sludge
of shoveled walkwaysarchipelagoes of snow hugging sidewalk curbs
tide pools full of gum wrappers
lost gloves and bits of trash
emerging from the snowmelt like fossils
leaving behind the mysteries of how and when
they arrived at that particular layer
of winter’s fossil recordwarmer air quickly dries
wet concrete walkways
until cool evening air
hardens the glistening snowcrests
into a candy shell that breaks
with a satisfying crack underfootthe tension and the snap
the sudden yielding to pressure
like newfound forgiveness
or unconditional lovethat sound
that’s the best
It’s Poetry Friday, the peanut butter cup of the Internet. Laura Salas has the roundup this week.
Hi Dave,
I’m going to have to save this poem in my poetry file. So much to love about it: “winter’s fossil record,” “candy shell that breaks,” “the sudden yielding to pressure.”
Comparing PF to a peanut butter cup is a very tasty comparison.
David,
I love the idea of comparing objects covered in snow to fossils. This is my favorite part of your poem:
“archipelagoes of snow hugging sidewalk curbs
tide pools full of gum wrappers
lost gloves and bits of trash
emerging from the snowmelt like fossils”
Elaine Magliaro
Ditto what Elaine said! That was my favorite part, too. Lovely ending, as well! thanks for sharing.
“the sudden yielding to pressure
like newfound forgiveness
or unconditional love”
Ah, this relief, this giving of nature. Here near Buffalo, I know this sound, this look, this cold-warm-cold-warm shifting… Thank you for helping me to appreciate it today.