Half-Way Hotsprings december 2008

watching, for a moment, as the snow takes the form of the wind
(leaping) from a laden pine tree
a sworl, powder dust arching in on itself
into a brief formation of furrowed lines
and then falling loose to the ground

the wind masked again to our eyes
buffeting against our faces,
heading north up the valley while we ski south towards the highway, catching brief glimpses of sunshine through the clouds, wondering at dinner,
the wind become noise and draft again. Down on the highway some of us stop to look over the bridge to the lake and the peaks beyond, the sun's passing brings rich red and pinks to the peaks.