Late night walks through knee-deep snow
Cross-country skiing in Lake Park
Green Lake Center with Joe at three below
Pavilion mornings with hot chocolate and bran bread
The stars when the temperature drops
The underfoot crunch of sub-zero nights
Ice on our eyelids, ice in our beards
Bare branches through thick falling snow
The long johns, the rabbit fur hat,
the brandy flask,
the brandy.
                        

The good vibe mailman
walks behind his three-wheel cart
with a step so light
the weather can’t stop him
or even slow him down
undaunted by rain, snow
or a hundred degrees
from his righteous attitude
and delivery.
 
Though his big gray bag
is mostly insurance pitches
discount coupons and offers
to switch credit cards,
a life-is-good aura
surrounds his upbeat self.
 
Looking at him I can tell
he’d rather be bringing
letters from real people
like Wyld Bill in Alaska
or Grandma or Aunt Tillie
but since he can’t bring 'em
till they write 'em
he just does
his good vibe thing
spreading joy with his
ring-a-ding-ding
good vibe self.