Snow

for my sister

This is a winter garden. White on White.
Bunches of snow like cherry on the bough.
-And Once More Saw the Stars (Philip Stratford)

It must be a miracle.
The doctor told us
you wouldn’t make the snow season.
But this year, in our warm south
winter comes earlier.
We rush to get fur coats from closets.
We are both happy and worried —
no one can predict the weather
and the future any more.
In the news, somewhere where
there are never floods;
now it is under deep water.
When we were young,
we waited for snow eagerly.
Following you, I made snow
angels, mine always smaller.
Does it snow in heaven?
Nobody tells us.
Those who go before us, you say
go to check
and save a place for us.