Ski Lodge Damp

It's important,
when you are small,
to clomp buckled boots up concrete
stairs to

your deli sandwich --
to loosen those boots
with brittle fingers
and unfold cold snow from
snowcold pants

then peel a sticky orange.

The ski lodge bustles with
stumble-boots, with
fire-cut smoke and
gone-flat Coke --
the bitter smell of darkened timber

and excitement on purpose.
Being young, it is
the only time to feel
understood as you chronicle

the velocity, the power,
the kinetics of glad and, and,
and the flakes
of snow on your lips. Being

young, you will
not taste snow
but the clomp of impossible boots
through thrilled exhaustion

. and all the neckwarmers
. and all the facemasks
. and all the muffs in the ski lodge
. wet with catch-your-breath