from high in a tree
a squirrel wishes me
a Happy New Year
wearing warm grey flannel
and wet boots --
the outside cat
new snow
I release the snowball
in the freezer
back
into the wild
taking the chill
out of my bones --
your fireplace eyes
the father and son
shoveling snow
the holy ghost
throwing snowballs
at passing cars
new snow
my name
in squiggly yellow letters
third cup of coffee
second pair of gloves --
snow day
new snow
an old crow
shuffles up
to the back fence
and disappears
after a night's growth
the old man's new whiskers --
snow-covered oak
dawn snow
I resist the temptation
to improve on silence
early morning sky
the fireball
that destroyed yesterday
the crow's feet
in the corner
of the snowman's eyes
a little sunshine
on a patch of grass
the snowman's funeral
night snowfall
piles of stars
in the morning
standing
in a garden
of moonflowers
she closes her eyes
and breathes in the light
replacing color
with sparkles --
Winter
ribbons of sunrise
I watch the sky
unwrap herself
Christmas evening
the long-awaited eclipse
of the McDonald's sign
as the homeless man watches
she picks up the quarter
that fell
through the hole
in her heart
the gang colors
on his headband
as he stooped down
to pick up the packages
I had dropped