A bundled man walked briskly by
\nhis breath puffing white
\nlike muttered cartoon balloons;
\nhis footsteps quacked
\non the snow like a duck
\nhoarse in the dry air.<\/p>\n
A shopper boasted
\nhe was going to the beach:
\nwhat’s the use of all the
\nhardening our cold summer
\ngave us if we had a wimp
\nof a mild winter?<\/p>\n
The theatre parking lot was
\na giant traffic snarl: wind hurled
\nblades of snow horizontal;
\nminivans blindly hugged the curb
\nin front of the entry, plan B if
\nthe kids’ show was sold out.<\/p>\n
Under the clear obsidian sky
\nand the achingly beautiful aurora
\ncars patrolled the crowded lot
\ntires groaning on the packed snow;
\nwould-be patrons clustered around
\nthe theatre entry, boots quacking
\nas they stomped to stay warm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The temperature is the big topic today here: minus 18 Celsius–cold enough to freeze an egg instantly on the sidewalk. (#1018) Continue reading