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Cold Spring

Kelley Jean White

April 15^th

the phone rings
8:25: no heat
in the meeting house
Quaker meeting is called off

it’s 26 degrees
ice coats the trees
there’s a scattering
of snow

four tom turkeys strut
tails fanned and foolish
three hens walk by
unimpressed

two squirrels chase up
and down the birdfeeders
one chipmunk
gets the seed

we share three eggs
between us
you drink half real
half decaf

we argue
over the cost of suet
the cost of bread
the cost of scones

the hairy woodpecker arrives
chases off the downy
and a pair
of chickadees

last night we danced
to twelve musicians
eight dancers
and the youngest was

sixty three
this would be my father’s
birthday—he’d be
ninety two

you’re nearly the age
he died at—seventy three
will we have another two
years together

shall we leave New
Hampshire go
where my children hate you
or stay

through another bitter
winter another
frozen spring
another perfect summer

one more golden fall?

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