For the New Year

I steel anger
     from the gods,

         fetch it
to anneal with scorn,

contrive thunder
     to punish,

         rain ignore,
exchange fury

flake by flake
     snowbound burn

intemperate fire
     from the cold at heart.

Abhorrent holiday
     when festivity

      omits its cause,
          breaks

tradition like stale bread
     promises, toys,

         possessions,
precious gifts to retain

in mind and hand —
         all let go …

finding death last question
     birth first answer.

Unweaned from most-
     alien, human-

         seeming
relation,

   excepting death’s
         confrontation,

either accept or spurn
     entirely

         the end as itself
I will waste away

in contrition,
     longing

immaterial
     what began

         with a word.