Winter Roulette
Not just the first icy patch
but the second, the third and so on
an accident on every one
a pick-up truck spun out of control
hits the rock-hard snow of late winter
flips on its back like a surprised turtle
shaken bodies emerge
wave away their would-be rescuers
next, a yellow sports car overturned
in the median between east and west lanes
men form a silent circle around the wreckage
a police officer leads a woman away
face cupped in her hands
impossible to tell which way they were heading
now the only direction is back
to home, to hospital or to dust
it’s snowing again, by morning
the ditches will be unbroken white
ready for the next turn of the wheel.