the sun shown the snow day
when the children rolled, stacked,
hatted, dressed, and gloved him,
then, proud of their work
they took the sled to the hill
in the park and forgot him
when school opened again
and children were away
his nose fell, point first
into ball below his waist
and the snowman, grown up,
saluted age, maturity, and death
he was smiling, of course,
sun on his cheery cheeks
and button eyes
“neighbors, friends, compatriots!”
he seemed to say, “come and see
the breath of life breathed into me”
