chute

by Joe Blades © 2007

slippy slope to languish upon
—avalanche zone warnings
and chairlifts to the steepest
—all runs open and no need
for touch-up by ms nail polish
with the big bottle there

cascade all sunny and jagged
rock—snow in its folds—
across bowed valley beyond
two jack stage and the pits
not picnic or camped in today
—the upstairs muse sick

cold enough to free water but
not cold enough to thaw a city
emergency shelter for the homeless
wings likely deiced before flight
westward over eastern great lakes
and prairies toward the rocks

numbers like the alphabet confuse
hide as much as they reveal magically
driving in a straight line will not
get one safely through a roundabout
or up—down a frozen waterfall
paradigm shift to spring skiing

T: Canadian wildlife
loc: fredfinalprepcounter
temp: -2 C
sound: