Never in my life did I ride in a sleigh
but I can picture it,

not the one with Santa Claus
& those magic reindeer

but that one-horse version 
out of Currier & Ives,

the horse tromping through the snow
snorting steam, a bit grumpy

to be working tonight 
in these difficult conditions 

yet enjoying it in spite of himself,
which I can tell

by the spring in his step
as he draws me farther & farther

across this field of white
toward the dark woods ahead.