Slice of Life Tuesday: Winter Poem

On Winter (or: A Reflection on Motherhood / Teaching / Living During Impossibly Nightmarish Times with Overwhelming Expectations, Creeping Existential Dread and Growing Isolation)*

Winter’s in a bad mood.
She’s crabby
and blustery
and just wants everyone out of her way,
Don’t try her,
even if you think
you’re prepared.
You’re not.
I mean, you can if you want.
Gather your coat
those long undies
your boots
the softie gloves, hat, scarf, earmuffs.
Steel yourself
but honey, I warned you.
Winter is tired.
January is heavy, and hard, and
she’s carried the whole thing.
And her reward is February.
All of it.
Don’t ask about March.
She’s had it up to here, and
she’s not playing games.
So maybe your best bet
with your “but winter’s so COLD”
and your “why can’t it be SPRING already”
is to keep those complaints quiet
before she blows ’em
right back in ya.

*For all of the women who, like me, feel like they can’t keep themselves together, and like me, have felt they’re the only ones who feel frayed and unsettled. We’re not alone.