HANDLE WITH CAREHandle with care this prairie of glassafter a freezing rain.Sunflowers and grasses areentombed in ice and appearfrozen in timelike mammoths in icebergspreserved like insects in a drop of honey.Rosehip popsicles glazed likecandied applestaste cool and wet like fresh autumnrainand feel round and smooth like tinycrystal balls.The skinny aspen branches all hangheavylike crystal chandeliersChinkling and tinkling in the prairiewindCrashing and smashing as they fall to the groundand under my heavy steps.And when the sun shines bright onto the glaring icethe prairie is a prism of light and colorlike the sight of distant Christmaslightsduring an evening winter storm.I have never experienced such a magical placea crystallized communityso very fragile, beautiful, and rareexcept for when I was standing inthis very spotbefore the freezing rain.By Rhonda O'Grady, 1992