Cold Speculation

The river speculates about the footprints

Fluent in many dialects of flow

Across the surface, a remote sun glints

Who was this walker, swanning to and fro?

The tone is assertive and confident

Winter slows so much, but can't freeze river

Ceaseless motion makes it independent

Of cold logic, which makes stillness shiver

The walker moved; thus the swirling gossip

The impudence of escaping one's banks!

Haughty bipedalism, from toe to lip

Drown the walker, or force them to give thanks!

For the liberty, written on the snow

To walk on winter, wherever you go