"A Blustery Winter's Day in the South"

On a winter’s day

in the place where

 I find myself living,

it is a rare day

when there is snow or ice …

but there can be, however,

a wind that drives the cold

through sweaters and

layers of clothing.

While most put on coats

and wrap scarves around

necks and mouths

and ears and noses…

while they tugged at their gloves

and plop hats on their heads

and dive into the blustery day

with heads down and eyes

looking only at the cement

and grumbling at the

wickedness of the wind,

I walk outside with

my head up, no coat,

car in sight,

and maybe an allowance

of a whispered “brrrrr”.

You see, I don’t want to

miss anything that a

blustery winter’s day

in the South

might offer to me.

With earmuffs on,

I would have missed

the soft, fluttering sounds

that curly bark on a tree

make in the wind.

With head down,

I would never have seen

an acorn

dance joyfully

across the walk …

bouncing this way

and that way.

If too concerned with

my hair or the “brrrrr”

of the moment,

I would not have

raised my head to see

the hawk soaring

in strong winds …

soaring in a way

that was much different

from his day before.

I would have missed it all

if my ears were covered

and my head was down

and my heart was

wrapped too tightly

to want to hear and see

what a blustery winter’s day

might gift to me.

In a windy winter’s day

I don’t want to miss

the rustling and dancing

and soaring of creation.

There is coffee waiting

and I will be warm soon enough!