First Snow

December
had barely finished
spelling out its name, yet
huge, wet                        
                           snowflakes                       
       silently                            
danced                              
                      to earth                          
                 through
the maritime darkness.

Outside! Outside!
Maisie pleaded. Annie
snuggled deeper into the sofa
Coco hissed:   Bedtime.
Outside, Outside. Outside!
how did she know?

First tug
set her free
summer’s collar of
brightly colored fishes
snapped and fell to the ground

Without a sound
she leapt, slowly
up into the night and
hung there suspended in time
               tasting                       
turning                                  
    smelling           
             catching
circled the lighted perimeter
then into the air.  again and again

Pale yellow pup
silently flying through the milky way
completely unaware of my presence.

December 6, 2003 – May all of us be transformed by the season!