by Elsa Johnson
I
Night comes early this time of year Short twilight
days fade to dull washed over dim northeast
Ohio winter days edged to collapse —
dark into deeper darkness Entire days of
not-day-not-night almost-but-not-quite gloaming
Solstice in a few short days Not a good
climate for New Grange effect The sun
so rarely shines one would not think to build
a long cold slot of stone for sun to creep
up and back down again One might wait years —
How many millennium would it take
to connect cause and effect in this climate?
Brighter gloaming on snow-glow nights Brighter
nights than days when snow is grounded
II
When I was young I stacked my skis outside my
door strapped them on on winter nights floated
almost soundless past blackened woods and fields
gleaming bright in darkness (hint of borealis
in blue-black sky) But these days creep to Solstice —
to beyond when we begin to look for —
notice hope for the almost imperceptible
lengthening of curtailed light toward larger
hours The bulk of winter looms ahead cold
and beautiful but someone has to shovel
walk and drive — at this age one feels once is
enough : Lake effect weather dark to aging
bones that wish to strap on skis and flee fear
less into wild and quiet snow-stunned nights