Winter’s here in the northern hemisphere, and as we pull on our gloves and fire up the wood stove, the planet spins itself, slowly, steadily, back into the light. We wish you moments of peace during the busy holiday season, like this one, caught in time by Lia Purpura in our January/February 2007 issue.

Parking Lot In Snow

Sitting,
deepened by
this ticking sound
which is itself a kind of breath
joining my breath
slowing impatience
measuring nerves
so that these too
might blow
and scatter and land.

Then clearing the windows off
and waiting
for the pleasure of growing dark again.

-Lia Purpura

Read more poetry published in Orion, here.