Leaving

Bam    

Stomp      

Pound     

Rush

Thanks to quiet alarms and cold showers,

This morning got a whole lot harder

Stripping off fleece, pulling on jeans

The air snatches at my torso with cold claws

Are my books in my bag?

Where are my socks?

Slam    

Slip     

Slide     

Scurry

Defying death on the slick steps

Dodging head on collision with the snow bank

The sidewalk ends

And so, apparently, did the shoveling

My icicle key slips into the ignition

Sparking frigid sludge into fuel

Screech     

Rev     

Rumble     

Squeal

My ice encumbered shoe

Pushes hard against the pedal

The radio’s teeth chatter

While somewhere rubber screams in protest

My pathetic Camry coasts down the driveway

And I congratulate myself on another morning well started