Blizzard light

The hood is blanketed in a shawl of white,

no vehicles move, no walkers, just silence,

a welcome to the early morning rush

once the blizzard warning was issued

and people panicked seeking provisions

though it is only to last 24 hours

no one will starve, but you know tis

better to be prepared so say my Girl Guide training.

In the bird feeder there is one lone Junco,

the bully, staking his claim to all seed

fighting off his kin yet he allows doves,

chickadee’s, and finches to share the platform.

As he feeds Mr. Cardinal, brilliant in red,

tsks, tsks, tsks, from the cedar hedge,

calling for Mrs. Cardinal or telling the Junco

to cease and desist his command centre.

Ahhh, Mrs. Cardinal, a long past neighbour

and local healer who took great glee

rubbing cut potatoes on our warts,

then encouraged us to follow her to the garden

where the slices of potato were planted

exclaiming “your warts now belong to the soil”,

we believed when they disappeared from hands.

I’m sure she laughed at our innocence.

Twilight has now covered the landscape

creating a warm glow from windows

lit with candles, lamps and lanterns

lighting the street, providing guidance

to those who scoff at the elements

and continue their journey plodding along

on ice and snow covered walkways,

enjoying the serenity of freshness.