January 1956<\/p>\n
The usual routine was to bundle up
\nagainst the wind and blowing snow
\nstep out of the overheated vestibule
\nand stagger through the whitening world
\nacross campus for biochemistry<\/p>\n
To shorten the distance, I walked down
\nthe east side of Queen’s Park Crescent
\ncut past the entry way to the Legislature
\ncrossed the street and was about to<\/p>\n
I saw a body frozen in the snow<\/p>\n
hop the snowbank<\/p>\n
it was a body of indeterminate gender
\nlying diagonally, half buried in snow
\nin a wool coat, scarf, wool cap
\neyes staring through snow crystals
\nface purple fingers swollen purple<\/p>\n
I looked around<\/p>\n
There was nobody nearby<\/p>\n
stay? go?<\/p>\n
I entered the building
\ntold the receptionist
\nhurried to class
\nperformed brain surgery on a live frog
\nforgot what I had seen
\nnot a conscious act
\njust forgot
\nthat was the usual routine<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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 … Continue reading