February 5th, 2010
I have spent today working from home in front of a window looking out over our backyard and our neighbor’s. It has been snowing steadily all morning and I ought to go shovel but am reluctant to do so while it is still coming down.
All is silent outside, in here I have my usual mix of rock and roll playing. The dog is sleeping right behind me and groans contentedly every so often. I have slowly finished off a pot of coffee and will move on to tea after I eat lunch.
On a day like this, when the roads are messy, one could feel trapped inside the house, a prison made of fluffy snow. A trip out for lunch or to go skiing is discouraged by the trouble it would involve. But days like this are made for staying in, and the best journeys are often made without taking a single step.
The squirrels don’t mind
They dash from tree to tree—
Falling snow is no threat
Through the window I see
Little birds in the bushes
—Heartbeats like drum rolls
Consider silence—
Known now and oft remembered
Break it with music