chicago winter

picture by Maggie Freeman

Numb

The coldness creeped in slowly

Puffs of smoke blew from my lips

The steady pace of my feet

As we all walked side by side

So much joy I haven't felt in months

Spring is peeking in behind the cutting wind

It reminds me I can start again

And do a spring cleaning

Dust away the butterflies

And the starry wishes

Replace them with reality

Sweep away the infatuation

with True Love

Put instead a heart of stone

Scrub down the fairy dust

and switch it with earth

Oh, and all of this just to take away

Pain.