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Igloo Snow

I know none of the hundred Inuit words

But today the snow broke in big blocks

(as I plowed), and they were building blocks.

A child could make a snow fort (or igloo)

and the fury of the drift making wind,

the heavy wet snow not heavy enough

but with plummet of temperature now dense

not hard, shapeable

leaves this snow with a name.

yet were you outdoors without shelter

as nature gave this gift you would die

so as with an economy not well aputiak

we build with imperfect snow what may be

a temporary shelter waiting for the great storm

that delivers the real thing

building block snow with a price.

By Phil Specht on Dec 13, 2010