Every winter day
this boy ambles slowly past
his sissy trailing close behind
wearing boots with small bright flowers
round the corner they come from school
down the cul-de-sac avenue
while Shanahan sits oddly mute
in this a future Dalai Lama
packing a snowball he shapes
with his small lemon hands into
flawless sphere of cold ivory
smooth unexpected perfection
a gift needed in gray, imperfect times,
his presence graces our days.