IN THE BACK WOODS

In the back woods
bent out of shape
a crippled man
and beggar is draped by
under the mountain of stars
and full of a din of gloom
in a Gogol Cape
shivering near mushrooms
on the side of the river
finds an offering from God
in the large garbage can
it's a scarf for his mangy fur coat,
near the city wharf
overtaken by drifting
snow flake shadows
and the three ghosts
he maintains always follow him
as his shadow span
reeling from powerful whirlwinds
he repents from his sins
in sorrowful Russian words
as Jesus takes him in
from the January cold
he is enfolded
from his last warm breath
and cast in music sheets
of Bach and a Sabbath sermon
away from a brown bear den
and public speculation
in the middle a snow storm
with his cat next to him.