Descent
Dec 19 2016


As wet air
condenses to snow
heat is released.
So the temperature holds,
at the crux 
of melt and freeze.

Like the landing 
on the back staircase
of exposed concrete,
where you paused
on the long descent
into the cold.
Cinder block, cellar floor.
The single bulb, 
shedding itself
as if as quickly being absorbed.

The warmth
at the core of the earth,
hell-fire
that rages below.
But winter confounds
in its steady descent
to the longest night of the year.

The ice fog
that turned to snow
and will give its chill to spring.
Change of state,
sucking-up 
the feckless sun’s
thin heat.