Snowflakes falling on my window.
On the trees.
The buildings across the street.
The cars.
The sidewalks.
Tiny, medium, large.
If it's exposed, it's a target.
White is the color of the day.
As far as the eyes can see.
Punctuated here and there by dull yellow.
A great artist at work.
Laboring under grey skies.
His canvas, the city of New York.
Irritated, mumbling, swearing loudly.
I am not a fan.
Unperturbed.
He simply ignores me.

The wind is on the loose again.
An angry prisoner.
Busted out, hell-bent on revenge.
Foaming at the mouth.
Blustering, howling, menacing.
Swaggering from corner to corner.
From one deserted block to another.
Doggedly searching for victims.
The homeless, the carless, the unlucky.
Punishing them all equally.
Indiscriminately, without mercy.
I am indoors, comfortably out of his reach.
Undaunted.
He simply ignores me.

Dreaming of a place.
Bright sunshine.
Valleys, gentle sloping hills.
Cavorting.
Naked as you please.
Soaring like an eagle, way above the clouds.
Plummeting to the bottom of a crystal clear lake.
Dragging my thoroughly exhausted and 
unbelievably happy body to the shore.
Dripping wet. 
Lying on my back, nothing but 
blue skies above me. 
Listening to the sound of my heartbeat, 
as a soft breeze kisses me dry.
A black and yellow butterfly floats by, gracefully.
I blow it a  kiss.
Unimpressed.
It simply ignores me.

Heaven.
That's what it is.
Standing at the gates.
Caged.
Nothing to do but wait.
Pacing.
Peering inside occasionally.
Leaping to the ceiling when the phone rings.
Collapsing seconds later.
It's not the voice I wanted to hear.
Frustrated, bitterly disappointed.
Pining for paradise.
A place I'd rather be.
Antoinette.
The Goddess.
She has the key.
Pager, mobile, home, email.
Trying to make contact, repeatedly.
Begged, pleaded, apologized.
Unforgiving.
She's simply ignoring me.

Snowflakes falling on my window....