A MUFFLED FAR-OFF CALL

Long ago

–almost unremembered

but not quite—

Someone called

Inside:

the sheltered room

closed and warm and safe

Outside:

the winter night

cold, black, insistent

Ice—stillness and depth-ache

And then

the muffled call, far-off:

Margaret     Margaret

I waited

heart-poised

vigilant

It never came again

Time passed

–a river flowing toward the sea—

Now

Removed by years and other yearnings

I wonder:

Why did I

hear that muffled call:

Margaret     Margaret

From the cold still winter night