The snow’s finally receded, even the plow
lines brown with soil scraped up along the road.
Wooden stakes have sprouted orange flags,
tape to mark out where the new senior
housing will go. God knows we need it, but the hills
and flats overlooking the river, the well-worn path
all slated to be dug out, paved, built
upon. Parking lot. Windshield glare. Rows
of rooftops. North facing windows. The elderly like me
looking where once we walked in snow, in wind,
in sun. River iced. Water full or thready.
New grass alive, alight in summer green.
Tall and golden in autumn. Then, snowfall.
Published in Cider Press Review, Volume 27, Issue 6.
Subhaga Crystal Bacon (they/them) is a Queer elder living in rural Washington on unceded Methow land. They are the author of five collections of poetry including A Brief History of My Sex Life, forthcoming from Lily Poetry Review Press in 2026, the Lambda Literary Award finalist, Transitory, from BOA Editions, 2023, and Surrender of Water in Hidden Places, Red Flag Poetry, 2023, re-released in an extended edition in the Summer of 2024.
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