January 1956
The usual routine was to bundle up
against the wind and blowing snow
step out of the overheated vestibule
and stagger through the whitening world
across campus for biochemistry
To shorten the distance, I walked down
the east side of Queen’s Park Crescent
cut past the entry way to the Legislature
crossed the street and was about to
I saw a body frozen in the snow
hop the snowbank
it was a body of indeterminate gender
lying diagonally, half buried in snow
in a wool coat, scarf, wool cap
eyes staring through snow crystals
face purple fingers swollen purple
I looked around
There was nobody nearby
stay? go?
I entered the building
told the receptionist
hurried to class
performed brain surgery on a live frog
forgot what I had seen
not a conscious act
just forgot
that was the usual routine
