Silent Night

A team of brown dogs barking

Disrupting the frigid night

Where they barely get clipped in

By old burning truck headlights.

They’re raucous, pulling, panting

There’s the yelling, shouting sound

Of a man reminding daughter,

“Hold your weight to the ground!”

The temperatures are negative,

The smell of exhaust dissipates into the air

The loud puttering of atv seems like it should

Freeze in place,

But instead it goes everywhere.

Right up through the bare trees

And into the sky,

Where the stars and moon 

Light up a deep and lonely night.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

He asks once again.

She nods and he pats her head,

“Don’t forget the rule,

Never let go of the sled.”

By now the dogs are wild

Screaming demons through their hair

And with one small pull, the clip’s release,

Sends team flying through cold air

There is no control now

As the team takes turn a certain way,

The handler simply holds on 

With only hope and not a say

But as they leave behind

The warm buildings and the lights

The dogs find their pace

Going into the silent night

Now the only sound

Is of runners against the snow

And wind beneath the feathers

Of an owl that follows where they go

The full moon illuminates the way,

The dogs are satisfied in peace,

The handler yells “good dog!”

Leaving her lips a smiled crease.

Not another word or holler 

Leaves dogs’ or handler’s muzzle

As they are engulfed 

in midnight sound

Of winter’s air

Where they run and go, 

Into the dark

They never look back,

They don’t even turn around.