Snow Melt

Long winter snow gives way to warming sun
a slow melt as temperatures struggle upward
weak sun nudges in some heat
as car and driver head to work
still bundled up, eager for Springtime.

Cars nervously round the curves
black ice, a dark shadow on the black tarmac
the banked snow recedes
revealing the yesterday’s of nature
frozen tree branches, a wind’s detritus
become exposed
a couple of crosses
left in memorandum
for teens driving too fast
killed in their prime
party time brought to an abrupt end
a family ripped apart
possibly never to recover.

Snow finally gone, melted
ice hard brittle molecules,
soften to be swept away
taken to the rivers and on to the sea
crosses bare, await new flowers
to be quietly tended
a mother’s grieving continued
snow melt in your heart
see the crosses of the past
and let them go
washed away with the snow and slush
cold hearted no more.

Malcolm F. Davidson March 27th 2015