snow not ICE

By Bean Gast, Staff Writer

in the year 2003

a small boy named Alejandro

saw snow

the first snow he had ever seen

---

not ICE

but snow

---

whimsically wisping through the trees 

falling where everyone could see

---

speaking only in his native tongue

the small boy could barely believe

his eyes

reflecting the mere surprise

---

while his classmates scrambled to the window

to catch a peek

soon to realize 

this would be

a monumental moment

---

could it be the American dream?

sharing opportunities of pure joy and whimsy?

---

the snow said “Welcome to America”

until I melt and freeze

turning to ICE

lurking in shadows where no one can see

---

OPEN YOUR EYES

and you can see ICE

a hazard in plain sight

---

watch where you walk

because you could slip and fall

---

the seasons will cycle

from autumn, to winter, to spring

and to the HOT summer day

---

when community will bring the heat 

to melt the ICE before our feet

---

rejoicing

plunging into the puddle

admiring 

the

DEFEAT