Winter Up North: A Checklist

Outside, the skis and poles stand

by the door, tall skinny skis

propped up, ready at the trailhead

of my home, a quick escape;

the snowshoes, too, slipped on,

easily fastened, for the deep stuff,

knee deep, off through the woods,

a self-made trail blazed, away;

a snow shovel - or two - waits

as well, for snowfall, snow to move about,

transfer, with an expectation of old age’s

aches and pains of winter snow removed;

the sand bucket, next, weighted down, lidded,

rests there, its handle down, sand to melt

the ice just to freeze again, a little grip

for my slippery walkway, my slippery life;

and the snow blower, powerful, “for the big one,”

when the shovel isn’t enough, nor is my aging back,

this job a must do before the skis and snowshoes,

but an excuse still to be out in the snow on a winter day:

winter readiness, all lined up … Check!