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. 

*For submission guidelines, click here.*