Walking Home from School
© Christoffer Petersen, 2021
Legs weary, I strode up the hill, in wind,
Beyond the railing, rocks rolled to the fjord,
Splashing whipped seas, to disturb the whale hoard.
I took the road, to skirt the icy track,
But slipped all the same with sand-riddled feet,
Scrabbling for grip, I heard the ocean beast.
And then, on reaching the steps to my door,
With numb fingers pressed to cold blistered cheeks,
Sparked by husky howls, I saw distant peaks.
Home again, struck by moon-beamed ice splinters,
I squinted into the dark, hailing friends,
Asking, d’you hear it? Hear those Arctic gems?