Ben Passikoff

Snow elegizes the earth;
whitesheets my unerrant aunts
and uncles boxed below in oak
or pine or whatever market
glut coins the soul
of final carpenters.

Snowcold enemies
animals homehuddled wherever.
Summer's full foxes
furfriendly added warm families
before hunched by snow.

Frozen geometry
black icicles tree axils
against oceanic white.
Think before you let your shoes
deep sculpt the snow.

Someday, who mortal
knows when, relent
will kiss earth and
grass will be swift
again.

But for this now -
premise, no promise,
crying of noses,
winterskin worry -
and all that.