New York City, April 6, 2016

★★ A child in a marching line of heavy-coated children, exiled from school for the sake of a peaceful testing environment, demanded to know why it was so cold out. The high bright sun was a contradiction unto betrayal. In the greenmarket, signs were out for hot cider. By early afternoon, the bite had relaxed. The four-year-old shed his coat while waiting for the third grade to let out; then, as clouds thickened over the sun, he reluctantly asked for it back.