When it's so cold






Deep in winter, when everything is frozen hard, you'll know the feeling, I'm sure, of bundling up to keep warm when you do have to go out. Scarf, hat and mittens. When the trees are coated and the rooftops are layered with snow. Here's how it feels...



The Cold Creaks


Buildings creak and groan, it’s so cold;
snow crunches under boots, shoes and tires, 
hard-packed
freezes words as they are spoken
all that warm air escaping into the ether
—frozen ether

People hurry up the wind-scoured street
wearing hats of fur, fleece and fabric
hands in mitts, hands in pockets,
scarves around neck, nose and mouth
catching all that warm air to breathe back in

but some brave the bitter cold foolishly
with coat unbuttoned, unzipped
no scarf, hat or mittens to keep them warm

Will the cold wind whistle in their ears,
freeze their fingers, freeze their nose, and frost their hair?
will their breath turn to icicles—
no scarf to hold it in on such a night as this?

Do they enter warm places
more or less grateful for the heat
than those who venture out with
hat, muffler and mittens
to keep them warm, or try to?




© Carolyn Wilker, poem and photo

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