227. in a little bit of sunlight before the snow

and she is
dancing
in the now
of it

in a slip of
sleep and sleeping
in or late
for breakfast

and she is
dancing
in the yard
and night

before snow
has broken
out
and down

and she is
dreaming
she is sleeping
on a bed

and she is
sleeping as she’s
dreaming
she’s on a bed of snow

or it is
morning
and the snow
has come

and
in coming
has so left behind
a whiteness

that she
could use
to write
a word across

to slide
a body
down
and farther

to cover
all that’s
underfoot
and shadowed

for she
will dream
of snow
and closings

of the door
against it
of the door
before it

so she
can stay
inside
and warm

watching
all the snow
that’s fallen
watching

snow
that’s falling
down
waiting

for the mark
to tell her
who she is
to wait

who she is
to wait
for snow
and snow

that
covers
every
thing