in winter stillness
ancient aspens watch
a chickadee flitting past
feathered music
bouncing
over infinite blue
alone
atop the buried meadow
a man paused
turned
looked back at the trampled snow
the trail of footsteps
each print a shadowed testament
to sweat falling from his brow
all he could see was white
reflected memories in a sea of snow
light’s harsh truth
stinging weary eyes
a deep sigh
a gasp of icy air
a hesitation in the heartbeat of being
a smile
he chooses life
again
tio stib
2016, 2018, 2019
Travels with Tio 