Ice Storm

Thirty-two degrees and the rain freezes on every branch. The roads are already deadly, hell, even the back porch is deadly and I'm glad I brought all the wood inside. A good fire, and If I turn my chair sideways, enough light to read. Just a matter of time before all the systems close down. Entropy. I have to put on crampons to go outside and pee. Warmer moist air above but freezing temps at ground level, so that what falls as rain turns solid when it comes in contact with anything. I actually watch raindrops turn to pellets as they strike the leaf-litter. The myriad branches are a filigree of lace. It's beautiful. The world encased. The field mice have made a last run for the house and my various traps are all working at capacity. On cue, two crows perch a dead poplar near the outhouse, they thank me with a mumbled squawk for their frozen treat. Heaven forbid something should happen to me, and someone would finally look in the freezer and find my bags of mice. I'm ready to retire to the ridge, make it official, I'm tired of expectations. I have three or four writing projects that I want to juggle, and I want to reread Proust in that new translation. Then I want to reread George V. Higgins and Cormac McCarthy in chronological order. I was editing myself, earlier today, and had to laugh, what I say in the name of truth. What might have happened becomes fate. A Black Hole is still a hole, not unlike a tree-tip pit, or any other natural phenomenon. Chalk it up to indifference. I'd rather not be answerable. Sleet now, changing to snow. It sounds like nothing I've ever heard before. I'd better go. A brief statement. The weather is a commentary. Zero again, no problem, I have a pile of logs, but this has been an extreme winter, and I want it to be over. Fucking sick of zero and the attendant damages. Say what you will. The next time I go out to pee, there's four inches of new snow on top of an inch of ice pellets. It's very difficult to gain any footing. I'd rather walk in the shadow of death. Hey, hey, just kidding. What were we talking about?