Today I walk through cold country
Shiver-clad country of pure white snow
Every snowflake embraces its cold
And accepts with clear cherishing
Its dominantly falling course
Which has its smaller attending rises
Like something Chopin would write
Or wind-kissed curtains would presage
A course which raindrops almost never know
In their liquid times
Every molecule of water in a raindrop
Or a bead of sweat
Or a stream of blood
Or the evanescent dew
Or a mighty glacier
Or a laugh
Or a tear
Or a cup of tea
Or a king’s goblet
Or a usuper’s drool
Or a shout
Or a kiss
Or a bowl of soup
Or a piece of fish
Or in the body
Or the oil on a screen
Or the eye
Or the air
Or even between the poem and the mind
Or a shout
Or a kiss
Or tea which streams off of fingertips
Or a laugh
Or a tear
Every molecule of water in a raindrop
Or anywhere
Was and will be many times
Part of a snowflake
Even a falling snowflake
Even a rising snowflake
Snowflakes and raindrops
Endless starting and ending
And reincarnation and changing
Clad in ten crests
In this cold country of pure white snow
If I am trembling, I am trembling with love
Embracing my trudging path
More moon than sun
More snow than sleet
I have to hunt to survive
When I see rabbit blood on white snow
What are my first thoughts, really?
When I see my own blood on white cotton
What are my first thoughts, really?
Embracing my trudging path
Through the cold land
Clad in ten bright crests
Accepting
With clear and formidable cherishing
My difficult advancing course
One for which it can be said:
“It leaves nothing unsaid”
A full and active path
Like a ballade written by Chopin
Or something foreshadowed
By ancient dancing furnace flames
Embracing my trudging path
Holding fast to hope but not delusion
The moon is full once again
I am clad in ten bright crests
Every day, walking for most of the day
Walking with sore legs and numb toes
In this country of pure white snow
Clad in ten bright crests
If I shaking, I am shaking with profound love
Embracing my trudging path
Walking and climbing and tripping and rising
And walking and climbing and walking
And falling and rising
The moon is new once again
And walking and climbing and screaming
And aching and bleeding
And running and shivering
The moon is new once again
And tripping and rising
And falling and rising
And walking and climbing
And walking and running
Embracing my trudging path
Up on a hill
45 degrees to the right of ahead of me
I see a house
Neither big nor small
I turn and make my way towards that hill
Being careful to avoid a couple ravines
I start to slowly, too slowly,
Ascend the snow-laden hill
Eventually I make it to the top
And see the bright house
In the dark, dark, moonless night
Slowly
Too slowly
I hobble on toes that I know must be there
Closer, closer
I am within 50 meters of that red front door
Another step
Another step
Suddenly, protruding stone grabs my right foot
I am harshly moved by a severe force
And all so swiftly
My own momentum joining it against me
I am clad in ten bright crests
Much, much, more harsh movement
Much, much, more severe force
I am falling forward
Arms forward
Hands forward
Hands how?
Arms how?
Head how?
Torso how?
Core how?
Sides how?
What is under this snow?
Clad in ten bright crests
Still falling
Protect the head and neck
Protect the joints
Still falling
Not much time
Clad in ten bright crests
Here it comes
Betweentheacting
Dreadfulthing
Motion
Interimis
Clad in ten bright crests
Falling and crashing and falling down
Into pure white snow
All is dark
I know I’m still alive
I’m so close
I feel that…
~~~
Clad in ten bright crests
I know I’m still alive
I feel that my consciousness is stable
I am warm
Why do I smell kefta?
Clad in ten bright crests
All of my fingers and toes are normal
I am in a bed
In a bedroom
The door is closed
I hear a couple sets of footsteps
And the clanging of metal on metal
Clad in ten bright crests
I am about to shout “Helloooo?”
But barely decide instead to stay quiet
Clad in ten bright crests
I also decide to go back to sleep
But just as I am about to fall asleep
Clad in ten bright crests
I hear the door click and swing open
Neither quickly nor slowly
Footsteps come towards me
Slowly
And then less slowly
And then slowly again
And then the footsteps stop
Clad in ten bright crests
“Hello”, says a voice from a pale face
A voice neither hard nor supple
An exceptional voice
A face neither akin to anything seen nor unfamiliar
An exceptional face
I make a decision
“Hello” I say, barely quietly
Clad in ten bright crests
She starts to smile the most beautiful smile I have ever seen
A slight smile
Her cheeks are less than somewhat raised
Her head is tilted just a bit back
Why are your adorable eyes one-third closed?
Aren’t I the one who is being radiantly shined on?