Footprints in Snow

People have walked their dogs here,

there are footprints in the snow

made by human feet, or rather

by the boots or shoes they wear,

and parallel to them,

rows of pawmarks, fore and hind,

left and right,

each dent followed by a slight drag;

some are dainty, as from a matron's yorkie,

others grand, a shepherd's,

rottweiler's, or lab's.

~

Off at an angle, zigzag,

here, there,

are scattered fragile pictographs

made by talons,

likely those of crow or raven.

~

Occasionally the distinct signs are seen,

sunk deep and clean,

of the cloven hooves of deer and elk.

~

And what trace does squirrel leave,

or jackrabbit?

Hop-marks spaced two feet,

three feet, four feet apart?

~

And coyote,

has she been here?

The tracks she makes

would replicate a dog's,

yet with no human counterpart,

no companion row of boot prints.

~

And we add ours,

my dog and I,

to this collection,

this soon to be erased

community of signatures.