Act One
It’s cold on Catamount.
The mountain shivers.
Her breath steams white
When Jeanne confides to Lydia.
“I love the way Nariz is so straightforward.
He never follows the pack.
Just faces forward
To friend or foe
And tells you
Where he stands.”
Lydia nods:
“You have a crush on him.
But he does show courage.
And the two of you are cool athletes together.”
Neatly, they line up the snowboards
For the Winter Olympics,
With its downhill and cross country skiing, snowboarding and ice-skating.
Jeanne sighs:
“I can’t wait to dance around the fireplace at the lodge.”
(Evening seems faraway.)
Act Two
It’s time for the race!
“Bang!” And they’re off!
Faster and faster!
Nariz twists his body
Past the flag
Through the gate,
Gaining speed.
Snow flies everywhere!
He zips on long skies
Poles glistening
Helmet fixed.
Fearless
He races at 80 miles an hour,
Jumps off the 13′ ramp,
Somersaults into an ariel
And lands crunch, on soft snow.
In the air
He aces Daffies, Front Tucks and Back Scratcher moves.
Nearby,
The free-stylers do moguls.
Their knees flex like giant shock absorbers.
Lydia comments:
“First the run
Then the Daffy
Finally the score!”
Nariz excels with razor precision.
He even enters the luge run at 90 miles an hour
With his spiked gloves for push off.
At sunset,
A glittering gold medal is placed around his neck.
All those months of practice pay off.
Act Three
In the moonlight,
Jeanne and Nariz dance a Tango for
Figure Skating.
They win a bronze medal for
Timing
Expression
Accuracy
And placement.
Afterward,
Jeanne surprises everyone
With a special display.
She slaloms and crisscrosses
Downhill
Flying a sequined banner
With sparkling stars.
Snowplowing to a stop
She presents it to Nariz.
It reads
“Be my Valentine!”
The two athletes
Wrap themselves together.
And snow step gratefully
Down the mountain
And into the night.
by Jeanne Poland
10/28/11
All rights reserved.
The Vibrant Channeled Creator 