Monday, February 24, 2014

Sixty Seven . . .

Cold
By Stormcat

It's antagonistic, even feudal, this relationship between heat
and cold. God would have you believe that cold is the absence
of heat, while the devil argues that heat is the absence of cool.
Which ever . . . both are uncomfortable in excess.

I wonder about Dostoyevsky,  I wonder about  the Parisian
impressionists (poor in the winter), I wonder about Bartok or
Kandinsky alone and foreign, exiled, depressed and homesick,
lonely amongst throngs, emotionally cold in overheated houses.

I now feel the sting of late autumn cold on hands and nose
flesh not yet acclimated, creates panic in the face of impending
winter frigidity. I've seen it before yet I'm never quite
prepared. Can't be enough wood to last the whole season . . .

I remember as a child growing up on the ranch going out
in the winter morning darkness to feed the cattle. The horses
working hard to pull the sleigh, stay warm. No matter how hard I
worked cold still penetrated my gloves turning my hands stiff . . .

So as the winter approaches and thought of cold invades
expectation, those so conditioned put forth extraordinary
effort to provide.  Heat is the main commodity, all given
yet unrecognized, though appreciated in theory,

Frozen hands burn unbearably under pure cold running water
Even the adults couldn't help but let out painful utterance
eventually water feels  cool, then hot water controls the mix
warmer and warmer until the whole body feels warm again

It's not the core that controls, but the extremities. . . hands
and feet, or even more relevant:      fingers, toes, and nose!
Frozen fingers and toes are the first to hurt.  That is unless
you're the  provider. Then your heart bears the pain!


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1 comment:

  1. Wonderfully written the message well maintained throughout. Well done.
    Yvonne.

    ReplyDelete