For a moment
I thought my cigarette
had somehow set the tree ablaze (it
was actually the light picking out
the last bud red
with never-bloom). I
reached out with
licked finger tips,
foot on one branch arm
hooked around another,
to extinguish her but
didn't hear the
soft sizzle I expected.
I drew my hand back
sticky now with sweat
and a little sap.

I smoked the rest
then threw the **** to the roots below,
listend to it fizzle out
in the snow.