by Mark Desrosiers

Four children playing hide an’ seek
All fun to distract from dismay
One is the seeker 
He counts 

One, two, three… 

as he counts 
Three run and dash about the manner
One hides in the empty footlocker
With a small layer of dust 
And an unnoticed mouse dropping

Four, five, six… 

The seeker continues to count
While one of them finds his hiding place
Behind the curtain 
In front of the window just
Passed the well carved bench. 
But not passed the oddly placed pillar

Seven, eight, nine… 

The third child 
    The youngest
Runs and runs
To the spare room
With windows on the left side 
And a wardrobe at the back
Nothing else is here 
She opens the door with a 
click 
of the latch
And closes it, as she steps inside

Feeling a slight chill
As though the interior of this 
Wardrobe 
Was an eternal winter
...
Is that snow?