Winter
by jimowensjr
Wrestling against the wind,
like dry souls clinging to life,
sweetgums and dry leaves
rustle in the barren branches;
Rooftops dusted with winter,
the vapors of my breath
appear, then vanish
in the frigid morn’;
Tender fingers,
pink and aching,
the tip of my nose
pleading for my wool scarf;
A wandering pup
plodding across the brown Bermuda
he stops and sniffs,
perhaps searching for spring;
My body longing
for warm Gulf waters
emerald shorelines
and toes in the sand;
The cold quickens me,
a reminder that life,
like the seasons
will come and go;
Memories of snow,
of sleds and steaming hot chocolate,
of a childhood
with little worry or fear;
The breeze pauses,
Mother Nature catching her breath,
she watches me,
wondering if I will relent;
A child—a boy?
Wrapped in wool and fleece.
His boots patting over the pavement.
Or is it a girl?
A crystal sky,
clear and clean and fresh,
envelopes me,
washing me with peace.