Thursday, September 11, 2008

My warm friend

The hot days of summer are dwindling down 
The mornings arrive 
wrapped in a new blanket of cool 
It is not cold by any means, 
but the morning blaze is gone 
The early air feels moist now instead of dry 

Summer still comes for his afternoon visit 
The sun still shines brightly in the sky 
The hot sticky is just coming later each day 
And it leaves earlier than the day before 

Lest you become confused and this may do it 
I must let you know summer is not my warm friend 
No no, not with the arid hotness of a dragons breath 
Summer is hot, staying too long, working too hard 

My warm friend comes bearing a blanket 
She comes with a whisper or a howl 
She curls her icy fingers around you 
And chills you to your soul 

Some days she comes dry and brittle 
Some days she comes white and heavy 
She will make you cling to the blankets at night 
And wait until the last chance to get out of bed 

My warm friends name comes like a whisper 
Stolen from the lips of the gods 
A cloud high above rooftops 
let’s go a gentle refrain .. 
Calling her name .. Winter 
 
Summer boasts his fervent heat 
He rants and raves his summer storms 
But inside he knows and trembles 
Winter is coming to chase him away 

Autumn will stand between them 
Like a staid referee 
Somberly holding them apart 
While they glare across the divide 

Summer hears the chorus of complainers 
Wishing end to summers reign 
Calling for the coldness of winter 
In the fickleness that is man 

Winter know too well the murmurers 
Decrying her nipping frosty touch 
Caught in winters beautiful grasp 
Calling out for summers hot 
 
Not I, for I embrace my warm friend 
I embrace my blanket of beauty 
I know of summer’s necessity 
But long for the touch of winter 
 
The touch of her invigorating kiss 
The feel of her piercing gaze 
Her unsympathetic reality 
I am winter, did you expect less? 
 
So, come winter 
Come across the mountains 
Blow across the plains 
Dive down from your high northern perch 

Come to me, my warm friend. 
 
Ron Simpson Jr. 
September, 11, 2008

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