Porch Thoughts

Behind the house there is snow,
white, heavy, beautiful and harsh,
weighing down tree limbs and spirits
in it’s sameness, it’s determination
to subdue the universe, if only for a while.

You stand on the back porch,
inappropriately dressed, willing
to feel the sharp cold that cuts
into your wheezing lungs
and sucks your breath from your body.

A small black cat, an almost stray,
has moved onto your porch,
eager for protection from the wind,
it curls into a small ball in the chair
by your door, and purrs when you reach down to pet it.

You are housebound, largely by choice.
You could spend the morning digging out
a thin ribbon the road, and escape path,
but you have chosen to wait.
Warmer weather will come soon, in a day or two

and in the meanwhile, you have heat inside,
sufficient to keep the cold at bay, sufficient
to give you time to ponder your journey,
where you have been, and where, perhaps
you will go when the weather changes.

About this poem

It’s been a year of transition. And I am taking a few days during this Christmas season to think and rethink.

The picture was taken off my back porch a couple of days ago.

And a small black cat has indeed moved onto my porch during this snow. Very friendly and cuddly.

From all that, a poem this morning.

However, my driveway has been dug out. The truth is, I get antsy when I can’t get out, even if I don’t need to!

Tom