We step out under

the winter sky – 

a chilling cold 

twenty degrees or better – 

crunch our feet into the two day snow – 

under the clear night – 

unlike a lot of things in life.

We tighten Orion’s belt

with our gaze

follow the milky way

to a long engaging kiss - then

let go.

After, we say goodnight 

to the shivering silhouettes of trees

long blue shadows,

the black bear

and the family of deer we missed today

on their walk 

at the edge of the field at sunset.

Poetry & Pictures . Doug Claybourne