To See a Winter by Ikiah Mosely

1.
Cold breath gasping from between chapped lips,
Hurried steps on cracked sidewalk
To return to a halo of warmth.

2.
Sipping on Peppermint Mocha,
Waiting and watching.
Steam slowly rises like a daydream.

3.
A hushed silence over busy buildings
As snow falls relentlessly and yields to no forecast.
The whole city waits.

4.
Peaceful contemplation in front of a frosted window.
It’s quiet here, in between moments.

5.
Ice floes of white and ivory
Float down the usually rushing river.
It bends around the town to seek warmer waters.

6.
The room is silent and empty at this time.
There is no sound, save for the hiss of the radiator and typing.

7.
The apartment rings with the sound of doors opening and closing,
Mini worlds revealed then locked again.

8.
The days go by slowly in this ecosystem.
Soft lamplight illuminates tired faces
Coffee is slowly brewed and cups are readied.

9.
Packed bags serve as silent reminders.
Guardians of home that state:
Soon.



Ikiah Mosely is a creative writing major at New England College. Her fiction and poetry have been published in The Henniker Review and in publications associated with A26 Boston, a program that publishes work of Boston area students. She plans to return to the Boston area after graduation.