Depression, Early January
Jane McKinley
After mild days, snowdrops,
a blue-black curtain falls.
In minutes, the air blows cold,
shutters bang, and dead leaves
rise up. They call this madness
a blue norther, this squall
unloosing rain, sleet, snow,
and hail as if the gods were
dithering. Then it’s over.
Nothing to measure but
mercury dropping, sky
the blue of alpine gentians.
I thought this blue might lead me
someplace else. I keep walking
that way. There’s no end in sight.