Footprints

Footprints in the dirt
by the train tracks leaving town
friends spending time
waiting to get out or waiting to stay stuck

Footprints in the snow
just passing through
I’ll be gone before you know
unless you are with me

Footprints in a flowerbed
left while picking flowers
smelling summer but
it is still only spring

Footprints in the wet sand
until a wave comes by
the summer begins to wrap up
people returning from trips

Footprints in the leaves
that fell from the trees
along the path to school
oranges and yellow turn to brown

Footprints in the snow again
a man with a carrot nose
footprints and covered by more snow
more footprints that melt away

Footprints by the flowers again
a gardener yells to get out his plants
silly teenagers he thinks they ruin everything
but they run away and all that’s left are the marks

Footprints in the sand again
flip flops, ice cream, denim shorts
the prints are washed away by ocean
but the ghosts stay behind

Footprints by the tracks
still killing time
still waiting to get out
still hoping not to get stuck