Standing together

under the garage door,

we watched the rain

become that first

October snow, unbelievable

even though it arrives then

every year.

The combination

of autumn and winter

was powerful and significant,

but it lasted only a moment

before the seasons went

their proper and respective

ways. I offered reflection

without smoke

and received acceptance

without touch, and

for months the snow fell

as we stood together

on the fringes, trying

to figure all of us out.

But when the circumstances

changed and the others left

and it was obvious

that we had only existed

for purposes already fulfilled,

it seemed that our winter

had only just begun.

Our memory, though,

is unreliable. It turns out

that we stood together

under the garage door

in December, so really

it was not all that significant

after all.