~

Tired


Everyone is tired today, even the cats.
They are tired of the snow even though
they are indoor cats who never venture out.

They are tired of looking through windows
at that white, reflective plain breached only
by leafless shrubs and black branches.

In the harsh sunlight even the pine trees
do not appear green. No green. No color except
for tiny red berries too small to see from here.

The tired cats watch birds who are bunched
into spheres from cold. Even the birds look 
tired, colorless birds in grey and umber.

Birds that vanish into the snow’s shadows
and do not bother with the usual bird-
bagatelle around the millet and sunflower seeds.

The cats sigh and briefly stretch, spreading
their toes apart, twitching their ears
as a gust kicks loose snow into a swirl—

a kind of dust devil on the lawn, 
a devil made of icy crystals. Apparently, 
winter is not as tired as we are.

Come, cats. Curl next to me beside
the fireplace. We will sleep like bears,
like bears who sleep until spring.



~