Look! Outside!

[nibbed]

First Revision
title change


Lost Winter


Razzle-dazzle white falls
from shaved gray heavens
brightening dark Michigan;

Will sweetened smells
of marshmallow mustaches
share their mushy reward?

Can vegan nibblers find fuel
in Mr. Snowman's nose?

What of those sweeping arms and legs,
who tiptoe away from angelic impressions?

Will frosty gloved digits once again find warmth
tucked into sweaty palms?
 
Dismissal sounds: Books hurriedly slam shut,
teachers erase, and lines quickly fill 
thoughtfully warmed, noisy cheese wagons.

Arriving safely at stops, book bagged backs
exit folding doors as clunky boots race
down rubber lined steps;

Soul after tiny soul ignore
every opportunity of brightened winter.

Secured, yarn-strung mittens,
sleeve through sleeve moments,
are exchanged for telstar trances;

Eskimo huts remain frozen
in a ghost town's memory.

Sofas seduce our youth.
Despoiled, engrossed children
ambush, beat and blow the heads off
their electronic comrades,
while hysterically laughing
at their own assassins.

And those gloriously fallen
blankets, mounds of white,
unseen healing diamonds of iced mercy
wait & watch, lonely & ignored;

God's gift of lasting memory,
smiling photo-ops,
have been replaced by a hypnotist's trick,
as an offering of Earth's peaceful frozen stoles
remain as beautifully pure unspoiled drifts.

Even so, Springtime will reveal
her resurrection of gratitude:

Photogenic winks of wildly brightened
violets crowding vivid crocus,
will sing tender hymns of praise
donning dazzling shades.




ORIGINAL


Look! Outside!


Razzmatazz ice
shaved from gray heavens
disguise dark Michigan.

Today, marshmallow mustaches
and sweetened smells may hold
warmest rewards.

Tiny vegan cannibals
will perhaps nibble
rhinoplasty performances
fuel enough,
(not too much!)
To search out proper twigs:

Arming tightly packed, chilly rotund idols
standing guard to friendlier counterparts,
several easier
hierarchies of sweeping arms and legs,
finished with tiptoe's care.

Waltzing with the hollers,
discs of molded primaries
may soon reveal creation's purpose:
Youthful, excited, billows of breath,
joyful reddening cheeks, and frosty fingers
eagerly welcoming warmer palms;
 
Suddenly, a distant alarm sounds:
Books slam shut, teachers dismiss,
lines of warm & noisy cheese wagons quickly fill.

Arriving safely at stops,
book bagged backs
exit folding doors &
clunky boots race down rubber lined steps;

Soul after tiny soul
ignore brightened sirens of frolic,
gifted opportunities of jovial winter.

Instead, mittens, yarn-strung sleeve to sleeve,
enter a trading post of telstar moments,
as Eskimo huts remain legend's ghost town.

Davenports maraud youthful suitors.
Despoiled, the blindly pillaged
ambush, beat, and blow the heads off comrades,
hysterically laughing at their own assassins.

Gloriously fallen blankets,
unseen healing diamonds of iced mercy
wait & watch, lonely & ignored;

Gifts of lasting memory
have been replaced by a hypnotist's trick,
Earth's peaceful stoles of cold
remain purely unspoiled.

Soon Springtime will reveal
a resurrection of gratitude:

As thankful winks
of wildly brightened violet
& crowding crocus
sing hymns of gentlest purple.