March 2009
Local Poetry
Come Spring
by Bob Markey
Bob Markey is a poet and Whatcom Watch delivery person.
Come spring, one thing
I’ll not forget:
The winter of
’08 slash 9’s
freezing snow and
thaw and raw hell
Satan’s snowman
brought down on us.
Crews plowed main roads
allowing cars,
buses and trucks
to distribute
their occupants
and goods with ease.
Er … uh … except
for the semi
that overturned
on I-5 … and
long lines at St.
Joe’s ER for
walkers who slipped
on frozen side
walks unshovelled
by residents
and merchants who
didn’t give a
damn about folks
who crashed on their
icy Welcome
Mats buried ‘neath
ankle deep slush
and snow. Oh yes,
vengeful gods will
well remember
those citizens!
I wondered why,
(years ago), my
dad ordered me
to scrape our walks
to bare pavement.
Was he being
neighborly? Or
concerned about
legalities …
Who’s liable
for a broken
hip should someone
slip and crash on
your sidewalk?
