Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page.
Inflatable Snowman, A True Story
By Su Shafer
Across the street, the inflatable snowman is down
laying on its side in the dirt by the porch
its head still turning back and forth
back and forth, back and forth
looking from the cold black ground
to the heavy belly of the leaden sky.
It’s still smiling, but the smile seems
tentatively directed right at me
silently saying
“Hello?! No arms, no legs —
I’m not getting myself back on that porch!”
and wondering why
I’m just standing here
Staring at it laying there
half deflated and helpless
It starts to snow,
the only sound is
the little motor in its head
whirring, worrying
how bad is it going to get
down here on the ground?
Still smiling but desperate now.
Why does she just stand there?
She could lift me up
she could knock on the door
and let them know
It’s Christmas, for Christ’s sake!
Who is going to save the snowman
from the snow?
Su Shafer is a creative crafter, fabricating bits of writing in poetry and short stories, and other bits into characters that appear in paintings or sit on various bookshelves and coffee tables.
She lives in a cottage on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, where the tea kettle is always whistling and the biscuits freshly baked. One never knows who might stop by to share a rainy afternoon. And all are welcome.
