Ice-skating
Avondale/Holland
We collect at the periphery:
uncertain bathers at the edge
uncertain bathers at the edge
of a great white pool. But when
the sound is given, you lead
the sound is given, you lead
the push, your strong wax strokes
slipping through ice,
slipping through ice,
long and looping, making the first
scrawled marks in the afternoon.
scrawled marks in the afternoon.
I recall your stories, the photo,
a long tract of ice
a long tract of ice
as far as the eye can see,
incising the horizon,
incising the horizon,
swept clean and smooth
in a well-groomed stripe.
in a well-groomed stripe.
*
It’s what they call
a diamond day –
a diamond day –
the white stretch fastened
with clear, cold air, nothing
with clear, cold air, nothing
between but you,
the slipstream swoop of skaters,
the slipstream swoop of skaters,
children on double blades
clutching chairs. You start:
clutching chairs. You start:
sawtooth metal stuck in ice,
the push. You swing your arms,
the push. You swing your arms,
gather yourself, thighs
thrusting forward against the hard
thrusting forward against the hard
canal and you’re there, in flight.
Top half forward, chin tucked in,
Top half forward, chin tucked in,
hands linked there
in the small of your back.
in the small of your back.