Cold breath

Jack frost nips at my toes    snow flakes are falling 
like they are lowered on ropes    a puppet master with his strings
They dance their way    I cannot help but wonder why.

The cold touches my cheeks    finding strength to clutch
to grab hold of my shivering    I throw layers of fuzzy cloth onto my skin.

The air hangs    as if dangling from vines made of mercury
we gather at the polls to vote on sweaters or jackets. 

I cannot escape the smell of hot cocoa    the sound    bubbling soup
burning scented candles    the snow that    my wounds froze with cold
words and brown twigs sticking out of potted soil in the garden.

The Christmas tree falls    God help us    we are all that will pick it up
we are all who hear the thunderous applause of rain dripping    fallen 
clumps of snow    decorating the sidewalks and street corners    the top of grass fields
the piles of leaves   quilts for naked trees to lay exposed roots under.

I feel the weight of winter    cold breath    high winds to wisp away 
the fantasy    winter is here    the flowers grow inside    love lingers in a doorway.

I’m cold.