Winter poem

After writing 365+ poems, sporadically over about a year’s time, there was a lot of selection work to put together a collection (which is currently being polished up in preparation for seeking publication.) This is a poem that I held in consideration for a couple of rounds, but ultimately decided it wasn’t quite right. Still, I hope you enjoy it today.

• Untitled winter poem

by K. MacMichael

Days/Nights crack the window open

just enough to let in a tendril of cold

and all of the out sounds in

the linger of owls and party music

before you get up from under the fading blankets

recently washed sheets

slight scent of urine from the carpet

old dog

if you assess the quality of the air

and the way the furnace labours

even before looking you know it’s a day of frost

and perhaps even snow

the world’s breath says winter – rest

against your phantom I press.