Winter Ghosts and Escapes

the crunch of black leather boots on dirty brown snow

Montreal

the tomb in winter

the warm mist from every exhale, 

the sun beating down on my face

walking the 8 blocks to the movie theatre

stopping into the pharmacy for snacks, avoiding nelson the neighborhood kid who works there (has worked there concerningly long, a lifetime)

then to the movie theatre, eyes downcast

avoiding every living soul

feeling most alive looking at the ghosts on the screen

and- for a time- 

forgetting it all

even the darkness that awaits on the long, too long walk home