Snake Bite Poem by Robert Burgan

The sideways snow slices cheek bone
The hollow sound of disappointment lingers through the winter air
She stands outside the gas station
She is the cigarette smoke being exhaled
I walk past her; we share a simple exchange of words
The look on her face resembles a grey sky with no visible sunshine to make her feel worthy of a smile
I know she deserves one.
I can see it in her somber eyes; I can tell by the way the color is drained from her existence
She contains misery and creates mysteries with her dreary expression
She looks like a rainstorm
Her distance drives me to desperately reach her…

Little snake bite
Drained of poison
Let me be your antidote
Little rain cloud
Drab and poignant
I want to make you smile.

As I walk out she snuffs her square continuing into her circle
I feel the gash from her cold embrace
Instead of ignoring the rest of her I wander into her world
I hold the door open-providing my warmth
The cold embrace gets melted down-her rainstorm turns to sunny sky-her existence gets pumped with color
"Have a great night! " She says sincerely, a smile emerges like the first day of summer.
If we never cross paths again
If she never knows my name
I'm grateful for those 20 seconds that I was able to stop the rain
She did the same.

Little snake bite
Drained of poison
Let me be your antidote
Little rain cloud
Drab and poignant
I just want to make you smile.