Winter is about loss
of light. You’d think
our planet is closer
to the sun in the summer,
but no, Earth’s at perihelion
in winter. It’s the slant of light
and shorter length of time
the sun blazes across horizons
that accounts for the coldness.
Winter is about loss
of warmth. You’d think
our homes across the country
would be warm
with spiced wine to mull
over our blessings.
Or a fireplace with logs aflame
blasting heat into the cold
living rooms
But there’s a persistent
chill in the air. Not from snow
or bluster of wind.
Winter is about loss
of you. My heart cannot
pump blood fast enough
to warm the emptiness.
But I want to say something
else:
Winter is about loss
of Despair because I am
reminded of the birth
of Hope.
Backstory: I wanted to avoid the cliché metaphor about the seasons representing the various stages of our lives—the winter season of our lives as we age and face death. Instead I thought about another kind of death/loss. “Winter” was inspired by the loss I am seeing all around me this holiday season and the realization that it is not joyous for all. It is emotionally bleak and cold for many. However, I wanted to end the poem with an uplifted note.
The image is a combination of images from Pinterest/Home Minify and PNG.Tree
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