The fish in the pond
are still — the water
being below forty-
five degrees. They
are protected by
a blanket of leaves
held in place by
a net. Once in a
while, when the
fickle, early, spring
temperature rises,
one or two of
the fish sneak
around the net
swim above the
blanket and look
things over. When
the temperature
and snow flakes
fall, the fish beat
a retreat to their
cozy place, just
like we do as we
look out the
window in anti-
cipation and a
bit of frustration.