was determined to reach the glacier
why not looked in-reach eye-level
chose the trail in my haste yet there was a road
hey wouldn't you
the trailhead said trail to the glacier elevation
change 30 meters length 1 kilometer estimated time 25
minutes allow 35 for return
did not say go back to the car go put on some pants go
back to the car go get the parka go back to your tent
at lake louise go back and come back in the morning
the little stream which you have to cross
is the mighty athabasca outflowing
to the arctic ocean unlike the saskatchewan
to the atlantic unlike the columbia
to the pacific
a three-watershed point
two on all of earth
the stream has stepped out of banks
a huge field of stones
good of you to wear those reinforced teva sandals
how much cold can your white feet take
scattered fuzzy purple flowers sat in gray stones
to be crushed and glacier-rolled in toothache winters
good of you to wear those reinforced teva sandals
no soaking heavy hiking boots
water rolled brown in its new beds down frontal moraine
wooden trail bridge lay glazed-furious 2 feet under
good of you to wear those reinforced teva sandals
the bridge is treacherous head up and over
the sky was light the sun was blaze
the glacier -- burned
a peculiar once in a lifetime
meld of hue
deadman's hand: white and
blue she shone.
Marek Lugowski
22 September 1997
Chicago, Illinois
