the tax return

i despise this time of year.

tax time.

snow and ice time,

another birthday looming

in the cold shadows

of February.

the snowplows, the salt

trucks.

the frozen windows,

the doors

stuck.

i've had enough.

i stare at the pile of corporate

tax forms,

w-2s,

and 4's,

investment gains or losses.

i plug in the calculator

and take out

the ledger holding

the names

and numbers of all the work

i've done.

form after form

awaits the stroke of my pen.

i want

this winter to end

and for

the melting to begin.