it’s that curious time of year
airs alternating
freezing cold winds
and gentle warming breezes

the snows and ices are melting
shrinking before a strengthening sun
retreating back
to expose the covered earths and rocks and plants
decayed ice shattering down the cliffs
bonds melted from their vertical rocky grasp
crashing into ditch and road
beware the plunging rocks!
bouncing on the pavement
splitting into additional stones
jagged
cutting the edge of tires
denting up the bodywork
smashing oil pans and mufflers

and i climbed up
that jagged precipice
grasping saplings and raspy edges of granite
buried within the crystallized hillside
clambered onto the highway
cars whisking left and right
spraying me with their salty splashes

i walked into town
and i grew two inches
as the mud mounted
layer by layer
step over step
thick beneath my winter boots
scraped periodically
against the concrete curb