Snow

The snow is falling white and bright from a gray sky covering the graves of sinners and saints A holy loin cloth wrapping around a multitude of sins it hushes away all ill intent for yet a while as snow falls in quiet triumph to the ground His hands are frozen He has no gloves just a gun but his aim is unclear his blood shivers cold He must obey the frigid air dissolve into the night Violence is baited to sleep caged in the fury of just keeping warm Whiteness confuses it and growls turn to whimpers School is dismissed early in the day so the little boy could not carry out his plan he learned from TV The Asian boy who wears a Chinese symbol on his white shirt will see his family again today They will bow to each other thinking there is safety in this American air not knowing the cage is unlocked the animal only sleeping. A promise of catharsis lies in the street heaving with shallow breathing beaten but not dead covering the memory of blood with white Jewish boys' yamacas covered with snow safe from the world judgment they are free to go home speak Yiddish and light candles Snow is falling white and bright from a gray sky covering the graves of sinners and saints