December came

December came, like the first snow;
stealing upon my doorstep
the shadow of rain.

Upon my porch I found that visitors had come;
dancing in the snow
footprints like the impression of nightmares after waking.

The fox had come and so the wolf;
A merry raven upon the power line.
Bobcat and coyote and you.

The dance had led this way and that across the frosts;
laughing jaws and razor teeth;
merry dancers, red dots of blood.

But your steps, the nimble ball and toe of sweet scented woman;
those steps lead only one way, far far away;
and I dared not follow, knowing not the dance of the beasts.