Into the fog I fell,
amidst the bone chilling cold,
caterwauled by silence -
eerily the end
of the year, dismal.
With the call of a forefinger,
I float through the mist,
silence switches
to a whisper,
rays appear through the haze.
Into the cradle I amble,
dizzy from 2024 strange happenings.
Lemons and apples fill the trees,
bright, juicy, bountiful, and
plenipotentiary fruit
of a Happy New Year.
Here’s where it gets weird:
we must take care
to love and serve
and the trees will prosper.
Love, joy, peace
patience, kindness, goodness,
gentleness, faithfulness, self-control* -
the kind of fruit that will produce
good results
for years to come.
The Whos in Whoville give praise.
The pennypinching Grinch** gives in.
Bells ring and voices raised.
Cheers, hopeful and kinetic.
*Fruit of the Spirit, bible reference
**Whos, Whoville, Grinch - Dr. Seuss book references
Leaping with joy into a tall pile of soft, fluffy snow,
He snorted and panted, and flashed a broad smile,
Surprised and delighted with the bone chilling cold,
That couldn’t penetrate his thick, curly coat.
He lay for a moment, catching his breath,
As if trying to decide what to do next.
Rolling onto his back, long legs flailing the air,
He twisted happily, enjoying the chilly freedom there.
Then backwards he fell, rolling in gravity defying angles.
Leaving the white ground covered with glistening snow angels.
Finally exhausted from his frolicking antics,
He came to me happily with his body in wiggles.
Lifting his snow encrusted paws into my warm hands,
His beautiful brown eyes asked,
“What is this wonderful stuff? What is its name?”
I said, “Darling, this is snow, the treat of the season.
Enjoy it now, as much as you can.
In just a few hours it will soon fade away,
Melting your snow angels and returning grass again.”
Walking beneath roiling cloud
Exposed to coming Baltic storm
Feet move swiftly head is bowed
Weather onslaught about to perform.
Bone-chilling cold, cannot escape
No place to shelter all alone
Wet and weary old bones ache
Focused thoughts I am heading home.
Splashing puddles, leaking shoes
rancorous weather continues downpour
Am mired in music of rain-driven blues
Sigh of relief as i slam front door.
Bone-chilling cold for a week
Sun won't play hide-and-seek
Life sure is bleak
The Wind
Within the air there is a gentle breeze that kisses your cheek
Slightly turning your head to feel this wondrous mystique
Gusts gently move all flora and fauna in a mystical dance
As if all of creation is intuitively aware of this circumstance
Outside my window I hear the sounds of the winds roar
Strength increasing then subsiding, and then once more
Fearful can this beast be, rapping at my window sill
Within the deepest of darkness when all is so still
Stirring up sand and dust with each and every gust
Drying rain soaked soil, within each wind so robust
Hearing the haunting moan of branches that bough
While spreading seedlings for newest growth to sow
Spring winds for the starting of something so new
Summer winds that cools the hot air for me and you
Fall winds bring wondrous changes so bold
Winter winds bring such bone chilling cold
Winds from the frigid lands of the frozen north
Or a southernly warm front that comes forth
Be it westerly, easterly, trades and more
The wind holds so much for us to adore
Winter is frigid
A bone chilling cold that hurts
Parts of your body
It affects your mood as well
Causing sadness to creep in
bone-chilling cold winds
blowing over frosty panes
nature’s sketching pad
written December 7, 2021
Christmas Eve
Written: by Tom Wright
12/24/2015
Car tires swishing through liquescent snow,
Store fronts adorned with a seasonal glow.
Christmas shoppers displaying a stressful scowl,
While on silent wings God’s Angels prowl;
The darkness seems very much awake,
Its bone chilling cold causing me to shake;
Floating on Zephyrs is a caroler’s song,
About peace on earth all year long;
With winter moon suspended low in sky,
My thawing fingers now appear to sigh.
Once more, I’m reminded, this Holiday season,
It isn’t about gifts, but Jesus is the reason.
Dark days absent from light.. Confinement, entrapment.. Darkness surrounds..
Sadness dominates..
The air consists of bone chilling cold.. Chattering teeth.. Shivering body..
With eyes closed I begin to float..
I am floating now. So graceful and peaceful.. With eyes opened..
There is freedom.. Gleaming light surrounds..
Happiness dominates.. Air consists of only warmth..
Body feels warm and toasty..
Absent of Darkness..
Brillance of Light..
Bone chilling cold gone
Idle trees stretch stiff limbs gently
Hush-din of budding
Standing on the frozen water, underneath the turquoise plain,
Temperature not getting hotter, chills set in and ease the pain.
Problems of your prior self, discarded at the price of health.
Peoples problems of today, vain and solemn, so cliche.
Imagine a desolate waste, bone chilling cold like that of space,
You're all alone, you have no place to call home,
You've got no phone, to call for a ride,
There's no one to call, there's no one to drive.
Buildings unheated , feeling defeated.
This is where humanity lies, struggling hard to survive,
Battling nature to stay alive, learning how to surely thrive.
Judged not by wealth, looks, or popularity,
But by hard work, devotion, and charity.
One day soon we will return,to the beginning when the skies were burned.
I pray for all that we'll realize, were all the same, what a surprise.
A Renga:
It feels like summer
Even though it's October
And leaves have fallen
Night shadows in the garden
And the waxing gibbous moon
A 3-4 time dance
Mixed with memories of youth
Whispered in the room
That first love always lingers
And also the first breakup
After the north wind
A day of bone chilling cold
With coats and ear muffs
Hands embrace the mug of tea
And a few minutes alone
Under the branches
Of the blooming cherry tree
Insects awaken
"I like being around you,"
He smiles and she is flattered
At the small bookstore
The regular customer
Finds a second home
The always open temple
Hardly noticed by tourists
Family photographs
Mixed with good-natured joking
And sips of sweet wine
One brother asks the other,
"How long has it been since Mom died?"
When I was diagnosed with end stage renal disease.
Trust me I was not pleased.
I was looking for someone to blame.
I took this so serious because I knew that this was not a game.
I had to change my lifestyle.
For months on my face there was not that familiar smile.
I let myself get depressed.
Right away came stress.
It is so amazing to see the blood leaving your body so quickly.
I felt every organ in my body feeling so guilty.
Almost every day I get so drained.
Inside your body it is a appalling nagging pain.
While being dialyzed.
Your whole body feels so paralyzed.
You are so tired you can only dream and sleep.
That sleep at times is so deep.
Then your body gets so bone chilling cold.
All of a sudden your hands or feet cramp so bad that they cannot bend or fold.
After a while on the machine you get so weak.
Now after four hours I just want to go eat.
As soon as I’m done I give thanks to Jesus.
In Jesus name I do have faith and trust.
I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me
so much. ~Mother Teresa
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