Beast Of Burden Poem by Francis Santaquilani

He bolts from the house to the sidewalk

Thinking his speed and gyrations

Will protect him from the cold and prevent

The wet snow from sticking to his socks.

He twirls, hops and swats the swirling snow,

Squinting to see if she nears.

There she is!

Down the middle of the white street she

Trudges headlong into the whirling winter.

Heavy, wide snowflakes cloud the streetlights

Like brawling, white leaves at the top of

Pefectly straight trees.

In and out of light,

In and out of focus, in and out of nightmares,

In over her head, a bag under each arm,

A bag in each hand, purse around her neck,

Mother, father, aunt, uncle, daughter,

Breadwinner, caretaker, enabler, homemaker,

Teacher, keeper of the faith and heroine

For making it to the store before it closed.