Ninety-Six Ice


Beginning on a Thursday night
The rain became sleet, became ice --
Later falling as snow.

On Friday there was
A give-and-take:
The gift of weather
(A day off from work)
And the inevitable tax
(The power went out).

I remember Saturday,
But I don't much recall
What I did:
The power had been restored,
And other than skidding
And sledding, and slipping
On the powdery ground,
I can't say I accomplished
Anything.

Sunday dawned, bright as
New days are bright,
And when sunset came
The darkness collapsed
On a day
(Did I mention
It was very cold?)
That resembled in style
The day before.

Though Monday glistened
And glared
With snow-white brightness,
Nevertheless I trudged
To my car, melted the door
And shaved the windows.
I drove to work,
Sometimes somewhat sideways.

[Philip Luckey 2/12/96]




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E-Mail: Philip Luckey [pluckey@chattanooga.net]