Poem: Winter footprints

We began our journey on the western part of the road
with the muted sun gently caressing our faces
she stayed with me until the snow got thick
she yelped falling into a high drift
following close behind step-by-step didn’t work
shoe print into my shoe print
my strides were longer
dare I turn back in chivalry?
In this cold long afternoon
even my eyelids shivered

“We’ll get through this,” I yelled
barely heard above the howling winds
and her thick rabbit-fur ear muffs
I never said it would be easy
like any journey taken together
trying to keep the pace
feeling the pin pricks of frost on my face
After all, it’s not like we’re in a race

Strange as if I could step back through dimensions
I felt like we’d been here before
Looking back, I watched her gather herself
Snow brushed off, no blood, no bruises,
The bed of white offered a soft landing
Years passed in my mind’s eye
the sledding, the snowball and angel making
when I was younger and more spry
Now my joints still hurt from the coming weather
and passing storms

The barn and horses were around the turn
I could hear them whinnying
There was no turning back
No reason to hurry, but no reason to slack
In long hours the bright horizon would turn to black
Knowing our way along the blank wide-open canvass
assured us we would not be lost
at that moment we saw hoof prints
where a herd of mule deer had crossed

Soon, we’d be there at the barn and done with our task
I looked forward to seeing the steam rising from the chimney of our house
shedding gloves and kicking off shoes
where the wise creatures stayed,
the dog, the two cats, maybe even a mouse
It occurred to me our tracks would be gone
never to be seen again
filled with more pack snow
maybe taken by the wind

It occurred to me
that trials and tribulations never last
we march, we fall, we get up
We’d do it again.
We’d been there in the past
I’m in the day, this God-given glorious day
I’m in the fray
armor still intact
though heavy on my aching back

Yet, unmistakably, I feel OK

Though my toes began to feel numb
my heart churned with warmth and gladness
the pulse of it kept me on track
wondering what some other worldly beings thought
Perhaps envious of us humans
Of what transpires in our hearts
Of what comes to light through our healing and arts
after reaching out for so long into the darkness
only to find each other
where hugs and tears dispel the worst kinds of fears

Though we struggle in this life
We’re no exception, me and my wife,
This moment, though it is nothing, meaningless in history
to others who chomp off their bit of, and rudely chew life’s marrow,
Nor marked on any worldly calendar
It all will be erased tomorrow

but somewhere in space and time…
this Love of Now
will last forever
footprints…
footprints to be walked over and over,
again and again,
as footprints on this winter day.