eat the path

cross-country skiing in
fresh snow
is part exercise
part train set

one in which you're the train and the maker of tracks
taking a fresh coat of snow and
sketching straightaways
and smooth arcs to take corners
in stride

after a lap or two around soccer fields
there's a system
a track with forks and intersections
go low for speed
high to savor a meager uphill

of course these things don't last
other railroads intersect with logic that is not your own
the smooth grooves cut by skis
are irresistible to people on foot for some reason
and can withstand mere seconds of
puppy-frolic

but then you can start again