I paused and turned around to see

My footprints in the snow

And I realized they're left behind

No matter where I go

Like fingerprints we rarely see

On everything we touch

Could these markers from our footsteps

Reveal just as much

Scientifically, of course,

I knew that wouldn't do

Something tangible left behind

Some manner of residue

I continued on my walk

The thought diminished in my mind

When suddenly I stopped again

The answer well defined

Fingerprints marked where I'd been

A fact sometimes worth knowing

My footprints, on the other hand,

Told all where I was going!