My shadow long in slanting sun,

Casting forth before me;

Shadows left behind of different suns.

I foray forward

Over ankle-turning fospel holes

Once carved, now frozen,

Filled and covered over

With insubstantial individual

Crystal fingerprints.

I fly on dragon wings

My body hot from walking

Melting snowflakes as they land

As I survey my treasure,

Tread the boundaries of ice,

Plant the first of many footsteps for this year.

Ice-held secrets,

Busy transfiguring

Into foundlings,

Sentry guards of spiky frozen fur on lifelines

Given to support this new world.

There is stillness and calm as the snow falls

And the only sound my crunch of boot

In a quiet world.