northfifthstreet poem #16

worst blizzard in years on tuesday that evening the school parking lot next door got plowed I thought prematurely left a mountain of snow between me and the curb then at eleven o’clock I heard laughter thought what are kids doing out in this weather this wind chill are they ok I looked out until I spotted them in the parking lot three kids about twelve years old by the streetlamps climbing up the mountain rolling down somersaulting down sliding down on fronts and backs again and again no sleds no cardboard head over heels playing laughing into the still street the still snow watching I knelt at the window it’s good for the heart to see children play hear their laughter especially on a snowy windy night a night with the wind chill heading for zero a night when one’s own wind chill has been near zero too

© 2010 Jacqueline Jackson