Unusual Winter

5th of January
And no snow,
Just mud.

Afternoon hike with my 12 year old son
Another boy
And my Standard Poodle Duke..

The poodle sniffs and snuffs
For rabbit, squirrel and deer..

I listen to the boys chatter
Until we reach the leopard mound
Where silence catches up with us.


Hush.
A ring of boulders.
What for?
I turn the question back on the boys.
They shrug as 12 year old boys do.
I suggest it is a magical place.
Not like Harry Potter magic.
Real magic that can transform the world.
Hush.

We slog on through the mud.
The boys chatter
About how they might work together
With all the people who understand
What’s happening in our country
And finally impeach the President.

In Washington, DC, at this moment
The Democrats are “basking” in their ”triumph”.
Re “taking” both Houses of Congress.
Doing nothing of substance but coronation rituals.
A “hollow woman” looking for her crown.

“Swearing in”, but for what?
For whom?
Here in Wisconsin, the sun goes behind some clouds.

Duke finally sees that elusive squirrel
And the boys talk on
Firmly believing they can change the world.
Is this magic?
Or reality?
Or both?

1-5-07