This winter I’m trying to find satisfaction in scratching my back on the corner of the fireplace that I can’t repay. A solid outline could solve all my problems but out in the cold first I must learn to be disciplined enough to leave the skin on the bear. I’m calibrating this flaky disgorge; staplers in my mittens; just myself and the open mouth that’s Colorado, the fear of a more appealing doppelganger spontaneously appearing. It’s also part aichmophobia (I sleep-walk with safety glasses) part atelophobia (out of all the pictures we smiled in how many were we actually happy?) but mostly it’s running out of places to run to, the frosted morning the contrails somehow ended the trail by forming a big, tall X right above our house. — KG NEWMAN
KG Newman is a sportswriter who covers the Broncos and Rockies for The Denver Post. The Arizona State alum’s first four collections of poems are available on Amazon. More info and writing can be found at kgnewman.com. He lives in Hidden Village, Colorado, with his wife and three kids.