Freezer Burn

The Slippery Slope

How you drive me mad

Doesn’t matter if I meet you

Head on

Or

Drive around

trying to escape your pull

There you are

Tempting me

With the thoughts

The thoughts

The thoughts

Please make them go away

away

away

Tears

flow down my weary face

Breathe

I must remind myself

To Breathe

To Breathe

Slow myself down

Do not slide

even IF it is so easy to do

Where are my old cleats?

The ones I wore in high school

You know

The ones that had teeth

Teeth that could bite into ice

Keep me standing

Long enough to regain my balance

But the wind

Oh how it blows

And the words

Oh how they know

But are quiet

Quiet as the new layer of snow

For the battle is over

For the time being

The chills on my arms creeping down my legs

Will eventually go away

I will stand up

I will not sway

I will move

Move somewhere warm

Where the slippery slopes

Are not ready-made

I will

Sit

On the beach

And watch as the waves roll in and out

Yes, I can do it.

I can leave.

I can take my dog, Bill

And head out for the bay

where my ship comes in

If only for the night

Yes, Me and Bill

We will walk on the beach

And we will be happy

For it will appear flat

As far as the eye can see

There can’t be any slippery slopes there

NO! Not by the sea…

But what about my children

Now grown and tall as the trees

Will they Seascape me

Or just let me fade away…

How selfish can one woman be?

Call it menopause

Call it whatever the hell you want to

There does not have to be blood

In order for one to bleed

Fall down that slippery slope

Slip and slide

Don’t forget to breathe

When you grasp

And all you feel is air

Don’t forget to think

When you tumble and turn

That you could have avoided

The Slippery Slope

If only

You had not been afraid…

Maybe, this time will be different.

The slope will not be so steep

And you will have learned

There is nothing worse

worse

Worse than freezer burn

burn

burn

burn…