This Is The Bite of Winter
On winter
It is the frost that we rememberThe pain that ice inflictsCold gnaws at our extremitiesOur noses, toes and fingertips Where blood flows far more readilyThe cold may never knowThe heart pumps warmth into our lives Turning cheeks a rosy glow Our lungs draw in zero degreesOld breath becoming cloudsWarmth held between two mittens Expelling sounds of cheering crowds Resounding pounding crunching iceOne foot follows anotherNoises muffled beneath the itchy woolHair tussled warmly under cover The wrapped scarf leaking icy airCool tides lap upon my throatCarving through the crispy mistSeeping deep inside my coat Feet wrapped up so warmly Inside two thick layers of socks Leather boots tight and contracted Condensed hard and dense as rocks Eyes sparkle as they always doAs they always will And yet they can withstand the chillNever freezing blinking still This is the bite of winter These are the clouds of steamAs air enters like a splinter It leaves us billowing like a dream