Thursday, February 25, 2021

Skunked on the Snow Crust Moon

 

 

Daytime highs above freezing by late afternoon.
Three days running
Creating conditions to name another moon
Anishinaabeg tradition
Onaabani-giizis
the snow crust moon.
 
This warm weather has got me on the ice
Fishing. Crappies and bluegills to fry
Perhaps a pike
always hopeful for the big pull
and no ice to clear from my holes
at least until the moon rises
dropping the day for the crust to form

Two hours of sunset effort
produces not a single bite
But then 
two coyotes yap and yap again
as if unsure to howl
And three swans with daylight riding their backs
honk and buzz overhead
heading east into the snow crust moon.

Tomorrow's morning rounds will indeed be crusty
new crunch underfoot
new season approaching
winter waning
angle increasing