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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