first, not quite the worst

good evening i say,

ready to face

the blowing drift twisting

of white powdery puffy stuff

outside my bedroom door.

(i have two doors that lead to my bedroom,

less for convenience than for necessity.)

out there are judgments

and opinions

and thoughts and words spoken

lightly or maybe more solidly

furious

like when people get upset about 

the state of affairs in which

we tend to live.

here, though, we have become isolated

and arguments are about groceries

and feelings

and nothing like the academia

from whence i came.

opinions stem from

nothing less than one local newspaper

that is slowly becoming a rag

i'd rather not wipe my feet on.

(strangely, it is that rag that started me on this writing rampage in the first place.)

enough, i say

ready to face another day

the next in a new decade of 

new newness fresh and clean

(a clean machine lifted me yesterday and

prepared me for this progression)

and maybe 

instead of braving the cold crisp air

and january firstness of weather attacks

i will wait to see

what the second will bring.