No skating away on Han River
Paths to familiar places never frozen
Like Joni Mitchell’s Christmas tantrum
Where else can I harmlessly roam?
Get lost in the maze of her amazing grace
Ride the bike slowly and never skate on
Why would I miss the lover I harm?
The ride up the river became a highway
Though noon birds sing brightly with river reeds
Factory hum drowns their song like tinnitus
Inside or outside my head full of sound
Gets me into the mood indigo
Returns me forever to icicle bicycle
In silent winter air that cannot be found
Rest in peace with Fredriksson, please
End Per Gessle’s masterpiece of pain
Shatter the ice for the broken-hearted
No hard Joni River to skate away now
Transformative power of skipping stones
Pristine egrets in tandem’s winter epic
Must have been good if we lost it somehow.
Warm the hand of my pretty skater
Melt the snowflakes before saying goodbye
With swooping frost on my forest phoenix
Flying relaxed like egrets on a joyride
In the afterglow of a tamed typhoon calm
The river’s ripples flow gently by our side
Only sprinters have something from which to hide
Highways and ice capades faster than rivers
Fish, egrets, feet and turtles defrosted
Get somewhere fast that must have been love
No pines to cut down and decorate
Or ice to slip on in the fast lane
Listen to your heart if she is calling for you
Treasure your best baby before it is too late
December 12, 2019
December 12, 2019
Copyright © 2019 by David Barry Temple. All rights reserved
