[18]
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Winter
      Moon
      (It’s
      getting
      ridiculous)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Trans-Canada
      lays
      ahead
     
    

    
     
      like
      immense
      shadows,
     
     
      ungoverned
      shadows
     
    

    
     
      on
      Lake
      Superior.
      Sault
      Ste
      Marie
     
     
      waits
      patiently
      in
      the
      distance,
     
    

    
     
      a
      good
      distance,
      but
     
    

    
     
      with
      the
      promise
      of
     
    

    
     
      a
      shower
      and
      a
      warm
      bed.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      As
      large
      flakes
      of
      snow
     
     
      explode
      on
      my
      cheeks
     
    

    
     
      I
      realize
      that
     
    

    
     
      I’ve
      charmed
      my
      last
      ride
     
     
      for
      the
      night.
      I
     
    
   
   
    
     
      shrug
      my
      shoulders
     
     
      against
      the
      frozen
      air,
     
     
      frozen
      air
      that’s
      chapped
     
     
      away
      my
      knuckles,
     
    

    
     
      and
      pitch
      my
      tent.
     
    

    
     
      My
      solitary
      tent.
     
    

    
     
      My
      last
      remaining
      friend.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      As
      the
      blood
      slowly
     
    

    
     
      makes
      amends
      with
      my
     
    

    
     
      toes,
      help
      myself
     
    

    
     
      to
      one
      last
      smoke,
     
    

    
     
      one
      last
      green
      memory,
     
    

    
     
      and
      unconditionally
      surrender
     
     
      to
      the
      winter
      moon.
     
    

    
     
      A
      lustful
      winter
      moon.
     
    

    
     
      For
      tonight,
      this
      is
      my
     
    

    
     
      piece
      of
      planet
      Earth.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      —Matt
      Stewart