ManicDDaily

Brain Freeze

It is negative nine.
Minus nine.
Nine
below zero. 

Or maybe ten–this,
on the thermometer, whose little lines
are too fine
for my sure read–

but determine to go out–
feel, then, negative
nearly ten–hike
some wool long underwear under
my flannel night gown, channel arms into
deep down coat,
tie fur hat below chin, zip
myself in–

The white world is unimpressed
by my quick bulk.
Where nightgown opens (under cover of downed neck)
feels naked as the half moon that hovers
at the trees’ bared heads
(the trees’ bared limbs, that is,
trees not having heads,
except for broccolis, which aren’t
true trees.)

Eyes slip over
the ellipses of a hare
who was apparently just there, at least
his paws were,
pause upon the ice,
glasses also
fogging.

************************

Here’s a little ditty from one of the warmer days we’ve had in that there was no significant wind chill–the last few days have actually been very difficult to go out in without proper gear–I have even at moments taken to wearing goggles over my glasses (which I hate) to try to protect eye fluids from freezing.  (It was supposedly negative 40 the day before yesterday and yesterday morning. This is Farenheit.  I do not know how they calculate wind chill, but it was certainly cold.)

Posting for Real Toads Tuesday Open Forum.