Blue like veins

I wish I lived

in a climate where I could look out the window

and write about orange blossoms.

But I get ashy snow,

ashy bird dung that’s been staring me down

for months;

grunge on stop signs

when I drive to work,

no bare feet

tickled by white sand and bright blue waters.

Although I can work with this color-

blue-

I’ve got the kind of blue like veins through

white skin-

the kind of blue that resists orange

though I don’t want it to.

I bring the dog in from a frostbitten walk,

with wet ankles and snow scrapes.

we are hit by the furnace heat,             bright.