Published September 1, 2022
by Andrew Douglas
(Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
Two days of blinding whiteout
Visibility: mere meters
It's February
Above Superior
Still... the pandemic
Entire towns, shut down
Sheltered in place
Staying safe
There's never been an off-season like this
In a spotty motel, the bed bugs are ravenous
I see a coyote through the window
He doesn't get to go inside
I think about that sometime...
Instead, he stalks the shore
A red-stained coat exudes triumph
Satisfied, he curls up on the lee side of a snowdrift
Raises his head periodically
What does he think about?
Does anything torment him?
I'm beckoned to venture into the elements
There's a primal energy in the ambivalent winds
I stay until my internal alarm sounds:
Seek Shelter Immediately
But I don't listen
For here I stand on the precipice
Feeling like the inverse of Icarus
Biography
Andrew is a travelling poet and freelance writer.
He currently writes for Heliconia (PaddleTV/BackpackingTV), as well as WorldAtlas.
Commonly explored themes in his poetry include nature, spirituality, and the quirks of existence.
Find more at: middlesidemusings.wordpress.com
This poem is included in Poetry World #4, published in the Wax Poetry and Art Library.
Previously published in Canada Poetry Magazine:
As We Age
by K. E. Peer
Canada Poetry Magazine is part of the Wax Poetry and Art Network.
- Visit the main Wax Poetry and Art Submissions Page to see all opportunities.
- Visit the Wax Poetry and Art Library.
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