For Pat 11/27/2014

It was Orchid Day

Behind us
a wall of snow
immense,
like a huge wave
frozen in time.
Pinned to our coats
orchids from Jones Pharmacy,
the petals, edges brown, so fragile
in the cold.

It was Orchid Day.
High above us the muffled noise of traffic,
In front of us birds carried cold bits of seed
across the ice.

Your thick black hair had only one
streak of silver then,
And your ungloved hand
balanced with elegance
only one cane.

But it was Orchid Day.
Your eyes dark like chocolate
mine round and wide,
Even our jeans looked new
unwrinkled and clean.