If you can't bring yourself to build
a snowman or even to clench
a snowball or two to fling
at the pine tree trunk, at least
find some reason to take you out
of yourself: scrape a patch of grass clear
for the birds maybe; prod at your shrubs
so they shake off the weight, straighten up;
or just stump about leaving prints
of your boots, your breath steaming out.
Promise. Don't let yourself in
for this moment again: the end
of the afternoon, drawing the curtains
on the glare of the garden, a whole
day of snow nobody's trodden.
"Nobody" by Michael Laskey, from Permission to Breathe. © Smith/Doorstop Books, 2004.
I love this. It really speaks to me of what I should be doing, but don't -- it's a subtle, "talk to the neighbors, for goodness sakes, go outside, get out of your head!" type of thing; that prodding, which I almost always need...
ReplyDeleteIsn't it lovely? Makes it sound so doable. (and I'm going to make those melting snowmen cookies!)
ReplyDelete