miles 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9

we skied to the Holy
Church of the Snowy Woods
sang Hallelujah to the sky
found redemption

we interrupt this poem to bring you this important message

mile 4

breaking trail
through three feet of powder
after hours of driving
snow drifted roads
including helping out an oil-thirsty Volvo

we skied one mile

of course, we could have driven a mere 15 minutes
to ski for three hours at the amazingly snowy Cooper's Rock
but by golly we had planned for a day at Whitegrass
with dear friends up from North Carolina
and we were going to get our full van there

until the roads closed
the ski resorts closed
and the National Guard was called in

change of plans change of plans
now we have some new friends
and huge smiles

yes, the thirsty Volvo had an Obama sticker
another that said War leaves all children behind
inside were two engaging people
crazy as we are to go climb a mountain in the blizzard
new friends
laugh and be amazed
as we left their cabin in the woods
the children said "we will miss you!"

worth the drive
I say
worth the drive

mile 2 and mile 3

mile 2

I walk away from work on the trail
beyond the place where the snow plow stopped
fenced in on government property
with lots of trees
just up the hill from the river
across which is the mouth of a coal mine
oh industry

it's not quiet
but I am still

animal tracks in the snow
to and from
my commitment to comfortable shoes
pays off

for the first time in months
it seems
I feel the pound of my heart
in my head

I don't want to go back


mile 3

meetings going too long
missed a walk with Fran
then later missed another
in the hopes of getting one item
off my desk
so I can send the request
for permission to take a day
to use my earned leave time
spend a day
having fun

a truck blocking the way to the gym
the kids insisted
it's not far! let's walk!
in the snow, falling on the ice
we laugh, we slide our way
together

poem in progress

40 miles for Lent

g-d said
don’t give up
anything for me
girl, you need to give in
give in to you
give to you
I want you to walk
40 miles not for me
for you
walk 40 miles for you
remember who you are


mile 1

almost a week after Ash Wednesday
I am a slug
for five days I have been intending
pretending
excusing myself from myself
justifying my sluggy ways
with the noblest of justifications
work children sleep food

true, I have been eating less
I have been refusing seconds
I have thought briefly about ending
my torrid love affair with white sugar
revised the brief thought
consider simply reducing white sugar
to a bit part
knowing chocolate is mostly sugar
knowing my daily coffees are mostly about sugar
knowing my sugar love affair is really an
addiction
that gets me through my perform!do!give!do! day
after day after day

today, I walked a mile with Fran
I would not have gone if not for her
love for motion and acceptance of slugs
a break at work
on a trail half plowed
three quarters into it
I finally saw the trees
the bluebirds

took a deep breath

it is February not yet Spring
still
I begin




copyright Barbara L. Walker 2010