weathering

weathering
                                                               

                                                                         

weathering

winter

not the one

that sullies

this new skirt

of sleepy snow

not the tired eternity

implacable and sooted

that gathers and grows

until every day-to-day

is minnesota weary

where the alter

of my fire

and sacrament

of flavored poets

no longer hides

the durable testing

of this season
has arrived
                  again