Days like today will haunt you
in the depth of winter—
the memory of pubescent
tree blossoms an open-palmed
slap in pink and mauve.

The cloudless skies
and balmy breeze
belie a backhanded
feint—et la!—in your
belly come February.

For now, the dance
of the maxi dress
is all you see,
stroller-pushing the entire town to one final
blow from the mad, cold heart of Chicago.

Jennifer Wholey received a master’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in communication (and medieval studies) from Cornell University. She is a journalist and editor, and lives in upstate New York with her husband and two dogs. She is a reader for Palette Poetry, and has new work published in Sheila-Na-Gig’s “Under 30” collection edited by Jessica Higgins.