Individual snowflakes with sharp edges land on my windshield,
Along with clusters of snowflakes that form soft and inviting fluff.
The fluffy clusters almost instantly begin speeding down the glass,
Forming glossy tubular lanes as they go.
Some clusters look hardier than others and linger a bit longer,
Eventually succumbing to the warmth and drifting downward.
I feel a twinge of guilt in placing my comfort above their survival,
But my heater is doing its job,
And for that I am grateful.
On occasion,
A cluster perches at the highest point on the windshield.
A smart move,
As it is cooler up there and will buy it some time.
Invariably,
A second cluster lands squarely on top of the first,
Sending the whole weighty crew down the chute.
The tiny,
Loner snowflakes linger longer and stake their claim on the glass,
Ultimately abiding by the same force of gravity as their more sociable kin.
The loners cascade down slowly and seemingly reluctantly,
As opposed to the clusters that careen down like a bobsled team.
The bobsledding clusters generally stick to pre-established courses,
Whereas the loners forge new and winding paths.
Whether loner or cluster,
The result is always the same.
Their exquisite crystals morph into puddles at the bottom of my windshield.
