I stood there to marvel 

In the bitter cold, on the branches there, it looked like marble 

Even my Golden retriever stopped to stare 

At those delicate finger-like twigs – I wondered how they could bear 

Sirens and gunshots, traffic were in the distance 

My pup and I were in our own little oasis, on the outskirts of the city park 

We put up our own resistance 

I didn’t shout, he didn’t bark 

Among the crystallized branches we were quiet 

The icy glazes had us delighted 

His breath and mine looked like smoke 

And I thought of emphysema 

As the fingering branch tips grew bulbs of ice 

Was nature playing a joke?

It was like walking on popcorn in paradise 

Just half a mile away, were lots of people and pistols 

Traffic jams and pollution 

The convenience stores, big pharma, and tobacco manufacturers are all in collusion

Not to mention probably half those on city council  

Everyone is a scoundrel 

I thought of this as I stood staring at an ice crystal

In its reflection, behind me, I could see a man approaching 

I touched the jagged icicles in my pocket that I’d collected 

My dog barked

My heart quickened

Something ominous had been detected 

I smelled a cigarette 

There was fire above us

And that man’s cough, I could never forget 

The sirens rang out 

I reached into my waistband and felt my pistol 

My dog and I ran as the park turned orange 

We ran

Among the melting ice crystals