It was one of those days like one of those nights when
The storm blew into your face
Whichever way you stood
The world forcing its way down your throat
No escaping the shift of seasons
Unsubtle and sharp
The old lady tried to walk against it up the hill
The dog
Half dead
Followed on 3 legs
The 4th limping as an afterthought
They were both fat and close to death
I bet myself which would be the first to go
And whether it would happen before they reached the
Top
I heard the mutt cough and gasp
‘come get your steak’ she garbled to it
I wasn’t sure if that was a bribe to keep moving
Or a reward for already crawling that far along the street
She dropped her 5 carrier bags and began to rummage around
I kept walking
A steak sounded good
But I needed to get out of this goddamn hurricane
That was cutting at me
Forcing me to stay still and
Keeping me from reaching summer in one piece.