We are walking toward Mendenhall Glacier,
it's 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or so,
there is an inch of dry sandy snow
atop the lake's frozen face,
it creaks under our feet, like a wooden boat.
the sky is blank-blue
the sun is washing the snow, ice, and mountains
in blinding white and shadows
our Ophelia has questions about the ice.
"what will happen when the ice is gone?"
I dig my brain, inside myself,
I don't really know.
my instinct is toward the material,
the tangible, like my wife:
"we won't be able to see the glacier
from here anymore."
Ophelia turns this for a beat,
"Does the ice get smaller?"
"yep"
It does.
Where does it go?
It melts.
Where does it go?
It flows in rivers to lakes and the ocean.
I churn inside myself
how much does a 7 year old need to know?
how much do I actually know?
the sun bleaches the colors of the world,
the ancient ice glows an ethereal blue,
the mountains tower their power.
I think of the end,
of all of this,
to all of this.
Later,
we eat
a hamburger and French fries.
Mar 4, 2024
Mar 4, 2024 at 12:37 AM UTC
We are walking toward Mendenhall Glacier,
it's 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or so,
there is an inch of dry sandy snow
atop the lake's frozen face,
it creaks under our feet, like a wooden boat.
the sky is blank-blue
the sun is washing the snow, ice, and mountains
in blinding white and shadows
our Ophelia has questions about the ice.
"what will happen when the ice is gone?"
I dig my brain, inside myself,
I don't really know.
my instinct is toward the material,
the tangible, like my wife:
"we won't be able to see the glacier
from here anymore."
Ophelia turns this for a beat,
"Does the ice get smaller?"
"yep"
It does.
Where does it go?
It melts.
Where does it go?
It flows in rivers to lakes and the ocean.
I churn inside myself
how much does a 7 year old need to know?
how much do I actually know?
the sun bleaches the colors of the world,
the ancient ice glows an ethereal blue,
the mountains tower their power.
I think of the end,
of all of this,
to all of this.
Later,
we eat
a hamburger and French fries.
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