The Making of a Snow Globe

When I was five

I put a quarter

into a toy machine.

A toy soldier was dispensed

in a plastic dome — 

perfect for making

a snow globe.

My tiny square cutouts

of fickle foil became

glittering snow that

fell upon the soldier

I put inside.

And when it was filled

with water and shaken,

the soldier seemed too alone.

But potentialities

ran out

of undoings,

and all I could

think about is

what my favorite aunt

would think of this

homemade gift.

Then my father

walked into my

bedroom.

He was drunk (again)

but looked so sad.

So, I gave the

snow globe to him instead.

My father shook it

and told me

we ought to go

s

l

e

d

d

i

n

g

Before we left,

he put the dome

inside his coat

pocket

and sobered up

once we got

to the top of the snowy

h

i

l

l.