Mute Swan Song

one final ride
out on the trails
one more wahoo!
temperatures warmed
lucked out again
quitting tomorrow
our swan song they called it

...what’s a swan sound like anyway?

snow fell last week
20 degrees
caught us unready
just not prepared
those clothes too hot
these are too cold
don’t know what’s just right yet

...and why all the significance?

then melted away
cleared roads again
avoided winter
by skin of our teeth
width of a sidewall
by length of a spoke
the flinch of our resolve

...is it melodical? definable? is it like opera?

what of the life
we spin for ourselves
ride to the job
pedal the errands
give up those things
for sake of the cold
look out of a windshield

...there’s gotta be a description somewhere....

winter’s own sun
ventures on out
midst of the cold
breaking through clouds
warming the roads
sunset comes soon
fresh crisp air to breathe-in

...not only do "mute" swans not sing as they die, but they produce snorts, shrill noises, grunts, and hisses throughout life.

so

...hmmmmm....

swan doesn’t sing, then
there is no end to
rides down the trail on
beautiful days which
continue in white
throughout this season
of determination

…but I’ll bet they don’t need toe warmers!

:-]

- TOB, learnin' to stay warm