Darren Higgins
We took the road into the snow through the snow
past the frosted horses in the white pasture
past the ruined barn redeemed by the snow that ruined it
everything redeemed
past the ice-glazed steep driveways and barking dogs
the long clean lines of the pasture and the heavy trees
such glory on winter days in the threads of smoke
from the chimneys over the houses
who could gather them up
and dangle us unblinking in the whir of white and cold that buzzing cold
the ache and the thrill of it
dangle us swinging out over the pasture over the emptiness
white and stinging and good
everything redeemed
where the road curved and was gone and we too in silence
just the smoke finally
of our breath on the glass and then
not even that