[We retired in =
Wisconsin. It snowed on March 31st. It melted off on April =
1st. My wife asked if this would be the =
“last snow” before spring. I said, “Probably =
not”. Awoke today to another couple inches of snow. =
Reminded me of a poem by Heid E. Erdrich, a member of the Turtle =
Mountain Band of Ojibwe, a Minnesota tribe. She summed up “Last =
Snow” in her poem. Heid E. teaches at Augsburg College, not =
far from where I taught at Pillsbury College. She knows that it might be =
Memorial Day before the “last snow” falls in this =
area!]
“Dumped =
wet and momentary on a dull ground
that’s been clear but =
clearly sleeping, for days.
Last snow melts as it falls, piles up =
slush, runs in first light
making a music in the streets we wish we =
could keep.
Last snow. That’s what we’ll think for weeks =
to come.
Close sun sets up a glare that smarts like a good cry.
We =
could head north and north and never let this season go.
Stubborn =
beast, the body reads the past in the change of light,
knows the blow =
of grief in the time of trees’ tight-fisted leaves.
Stubborn =
calendar of bone. Last snow. Now it must always be =
so.”
~~
Dr Bob Griffin =
[email protected] www.grif.net =
"Jesus =
Knows Me, This I Love!"