Footprints in the Snow: A Poem
Footprints in the snow
and movie scenes that rewind
inside your head, hitting you
again — a turning tape, a
repeating record with no name,
these twisting wire rhythms
spliced with telegram interruptions,
vanish without a trace
or hesitation till no one knows
what’s missing, like footprints
in the snow that were left
with deft and careful crispness
and impounded, heart-arresting
with lightest footbeats.
Ring out the lighter wingbeats
of the twirling snowflakes
and gravest imitations that
come to cover your tracks —
stop in your tracks
to prostrate yourself at the altar
of criminal intentions and
streetlight invitations
and give thanks
while churchbells toll.
Poet’s Notes
This poem, compared to some of the others I’ve written, might strike you as a little difficult to understand — the meaning might not be clear right away. I’ll give you a hint: it’s a poem about getting away with it.
Please tell me in the comments what you thought about “Footprints in the Snow.”
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Interesting, and deftly done! I did have to read it twice, the second time with your clue, until I understood it fully! But all poetry should be read more than once, I think, to be truly appreciated!
I’m so glad you got it! I was a little worried it would become one of those poems that was incapable of being understood, which I’m not sure I like. I do think it’s good when readers have to reread poetry a couple times, though. Thanks for these kind words!
This is an interesting poem. It feels as though the speaker has some sort of guilt and is grateful for the passage of time covering up their misdeeds. Perhaps they are even grateful for the snow itself covering their literal tracks and the church bells covering their noises. The silence is felt until the end where there seems to be a sudden clatter in a culmination of a criminal act.
It’s a wonderful juxtaposition of natural tranquility and the potential for negativity in the discrete corners of the world. Indeed, as time passes, events fade into obscurity and become less crisp. Even so, the one carrying the guilt will keep the scene playing over again like a movie reel.
I had to read this a few times to understand but the clue confirmed my suspicions. Very well done!
Thank you! I’m glad you liked the poem and that you understood it. (You definitely got what I was trying to convey, down to the slightest details.) It’s a poem that I expected people to have to read multiple times to understand, unlike most of my other poems, so I’m glad you took the time to read it over a few times!