Heat and Snow

After the raised voices, silence
floods in quick and clean.

I marvel at its silvery presence,
unobtrusive as water

and how, like water, it mends
the spilled savagery in the pale light

of late afternoon. The day moves
inexorably towards supper.

Words will find us later,
words about needing milk

or ironing the blue shirt and Oh yes
you found the missing button,

could I sew it on. I could.
Doubt about this life

accrues gently like snow
weighting a pine bough with a beauty

so soft, no one suspects the violent
snap, the weight that cannot be borne.

Copyright © 2002 Raphael Kosek All rights reserved
from Kalliope
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission