Tracks

Snow overlays
                           the diagonal record. The line splitting the heart
                                        of the deer’s hoof vanishes
                           along with the heart. Any hiccups in gait
              are effaced and packed. A hole poked in the ground cover
                                           might emit blue light
                                                         but not evidence of direct
                             register: a hind foot landing in the same spot
                                           as a front foot, your own feet erased
                             later. The most instructional is when
              flakes begin to fall on snow older than a year
                           right before an animal bounds across the revised surface,
                                         and the icy firn disappears
                                         at the same time as freshly made prints.

Read more from Issue 22.1.