Cold

Winter cold visits the land. 

Forcing trees’ sap deeper into trees’ core.

Disciplining insects, birds, reptiles, plants, stone—

Working out, cell by cell, moment by moment,

The cold logic of the universe.

The cold will do more—

With its blunt chisel it will fashion

Ssunrises and sunsets to hues of ochre and lavender.

Sharpen the day’s light,

Shift our view of light and air,

Sweep away illusions’ web,

As we steel ourselves against the cold logic of the universe.

--January 4, 2013