The Spirit of Snowflakes
With long white hair
Dances gently
With her husband
The hunch-backed
Spirit of Winter
On the cobblestone path
Running through the
Garden of the Winter Moon Empress

Nighttime and the fountains
Stir the eternal water lilies
Providing the spirits
A solemn rhythm
For their careful steps

They recall
The season
Of their first dance
Before the deer and rabbits
Crows and owls
Became their friends.

Back then
They had endless energy
Would whirl
Right round
The top of the world
Making all as white
As the bone flutes
The elfin children
Whistled
Accompanying them
Whistling on by.

They were
Full of nostalgia
For the old days
When they did not
Have to worry
About the widow
With her two children
Freezing in a blizzard
Or their dance

Lasting too long
And delaying
The planting of seed.

(O humans, how fragile!)

And yet
The people brought them joy
Children sleigh riding
Men coming back from the forest
With firewood
Who came to life at dark
Kicking up their heels
With a nip of blackberry liqueur
Singing bawdy songs
And the bonfires
That cast grotesque shadows
Of demon spirits.

They rested under the pagoda
A little out of breath
Winter leaned into Snow and gave her a kiss
Their lips stuck briefly together
Snow felt a hot shiver run
Down her that almost made her melt.

Tomorrow is the vernal equinox
And they must retire
Crawl into their beds
For another six months
Until they can rise
And stretch their backs
Throw off their bedclothes
Shuffle off to meet
The black-veiled
Empress of the Winter Sun.