IT WASN’T THE HAPPIEST TIME
Walking out,
It was that kind of miserable,
Sulking winter,
With bitter stars
Barely bothering
To hunch their shoulders,
Or tuck themselves into the greyness,
Pulling clouds over their heads,
Thinking good riddance
To the sorry world below them.
Until, as if joyfully
Adding insult to injury,
A skim of sleet
Left the hand of misery,
Whitened the freezing leaves
Of the hedgerows,
Soaking the knitted cuffs
Of my bright red jumper.
Nature’s fierce laughter
Sending me home frozen.
©2022 Gwen Grant.
Poems by Gwen Grant 
I’m lucky, for me, winter walks have always been a novelty, never an essential endurance. It is hard for me to empathise with your memory, but I understand that is my lack of experience, or at least different experience.
This winter had been a doddle!
LikeLike
Being cold now is almost a luxury for those who have been lucky. Back then it was just how things were. Out in the cold, frostbitten. Inside with ice on the inside of the window and the itch of chilblains.
LikeLike
Those chilblains! The other thing was actually getting up the courage to put a bare foot on
an icy floor. But the chilblains still haunt me. I’ve had them since and they hurt just as much.
Gwen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t care what the weather is like, I just have to be out and try and catch exactly what it
was like. I love being outside – not so much inside! I just want to share the outside! Keep safe.
Gwen.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I have walked in weather like that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looking forward to summer!
Gwen.
LikeLike
Great imagery – especially the portrayal of a “sulking winter”.
LikeLike
So glad you liked it. That particular walk was just before last Christmas and I can still see every
detail of it in my mind’s eye, it was such a wretched day!
Gwen.
LikeLike