spattered blood on the ski trail

nickel, dime, quarter sized drops

mixed with moose tracks

a mystery in white and red

I should have turned

hockey-skate style stop

and spent more time there

studied the tracks

looked for the story

claw marks or trace fur

instead I chose to blow past

chasing a ghost

trying to best my time

too concerned with the fun

of flying down winding trails

quick hard packed spring crust

racing against the bloodshed

because it wasn't yet mine