charley on the ice

when charley soared across the ice

she wondered how it was tamed so nice

she thought it was too smooth

to be underneath heaven’s roof

glassy, it was almost clear

like a whistle in the ear

but this made no sense at all

with all the detritus of Fall

spinning this way and that

with the agility of a cat

charley didn’t like it one bit

this didn’t match the devil’s wit

she almost lost her breath

gulped the cold air and said

“this is no place for me, icy stream.

see, i’ve caught me in a dream.”

charley nearly escaped the white

except a slip and twisted ankle right

she lay upon the watery board

too solid in a liquid world

this was it, she bared down hard

waiting for fate’s jagged shard

when none came, she opened eyes

to see life’s most cruel blue skies