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WINTER WARMS MY WEARY by Carolyn Riker

Winter gives me permission to slow down…

 I hibernate and press an imaginary pause button. It tenderly courts my hermit side. I am delighted when my social schedule is at a lull.

Each day is still complete. I step more readily into silence and enjoy the peace. Here, I give birds my full attention. I linger in the crunchy sounds of icy bliss. My lovely tattered bathrobe and I greet a brilliant sunrise. My nest of blankets blink gratitude through the deep dark cold nights.

This particular poem swam to consciousness after a delicious wintery catnap. I opened my eyes to a gift of a water-colored sorbet sunset sky. I captured the moment, in a quiet appreciation with these words.



Winter Warms my Weary

Backlit trees in a sunset sky
A chortle from a Thrush
Crimson
Tangerine
Sweet golden nectar
Knits through my veins
Rest, renew, restore.
Winter warms my weary
Strokes, tends, creates
A comforting quilt of warmth.
Drowsy floral beds pause
Seeds snore
Hibernating, cultivating, embracing
A hummer sips
From the setting sun
Harmony resets itself
Winter’s gift is
Love.
~
Photography by Carolyn Riker


Carolyn (Riker) Avalani, M.A., LMHC is a licensed counselor, teacher, writer and poet. Over the last five years she has written for numerous online journals and has been in five anthologies. Her most recent book This is Love was published June 2018. Before that she contributed and co-edited, Hidden Lights: A Collection of Truths Not Often Told, which holds 53 artists sharing their stories, poems, art and photography. Her first book of poetry and prose, Blue Clouds was published December 2016. Between sips of coffee, navigating life with copious writing and daydreaming, Carolyn offers creative writing workshops, coaching and private counseling. To find out more please visit her website at www.carolynriker.com or on facebook here. 

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Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 8, 2023 at 5:10 AM

    perfectly crafted.... :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maureen LancasterDecember 8, 2023 at 5:12 AM

      forgot to put my name in my comment! again, beautifully done :)

      Delete

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