I will be honest. I do not like winter. Don’t get me wrong, it has its moments. Sometimes the snow is pretty, but I mostly find it annoying. I don’t like to be cold. I’m cold-natured and always have been, so cold weather doesn’t appeal to me. Here’s a poem about my feelings toward Indiana weather and a little bit of my OCD mixed in. Enjoy 🙂
“Love & Hates, Spring & Winter”
I sit here, waiting.
The last efforts of Winter coating the trees, the ground,
lovely, but unfeeling.
Winter once meant laughter & joy,
rolling on her white drifts,
nature’s pillows.
Lately, I can’t bear to see her.
I try to avoid her,
sitting in the unnatural light,
artificially keeping warm,
but she always comes.
If it were just her,
life might be more colorful,
but it’s her parasites,
those that call themselves “Flu” & “Cold”
that darken this once pleasant season.
Soon, Winter will pass,
not to be seen for some months,
retreating,
hibernating,
making way for her lively, youthful daughter Spring,
who brings hope & health.
Sunlight & warmth frighten the parasites,
and finally,
after month of hiding,
I leave this unnatural place and joint the rest of the world,
but just until Winter wakes again from her deep sleep.
Best,
Megan
Well written. 🙂 I’m quite certain that I’ll be a snow-bird once I retire, or at least reach retirement age. I’m originally from Michigan, so I know that mid-western cold you are talking about. It’s actually better here along the north coast as far as wind chill, and the coldest of nights rarely ever drop below zero. I’m thinking maybe the Outer Banks in North Carolina would be a nice spot. Not too cold, not too hot. Hang in there – spring is almost here. 🙂 I can’t wait to go photograph the budding color again. I went with a good friend last weekend to photograph a waterfall nearby. We had no idea that one was here in our town, but his girlfriend mentioned having been there when she was a child, so we trekked through the thick brush and the seemingly endless massive briar bushes for nearly an hour, and there it was. Simply beautiful. No paths around it, even at the edge of the water. We spent awhile there, then went back. Both of us had scratches all over us from all of the thorns in spite of our being dressed for it. We’ll return to this spot when spring arrives though – the tree canopy there looks like it will be magnificent. 🙂 Not much longer….
That sounds like a lovely place to retire 🙂 I do miss the colors of spring. I have’t had my camera for too long, so I am looking forward to spring and summer when everything is beautiful again. The waterfall sounds beautiful and definitely worth a second visit. How are you doing these days? It’s great to hear from you again and thank you for reading the poem!
I’m doing well, thank you. 🙂 I’ve been busy of late. I’m also deciding what I’m going to major in. I’m torn between three very difference disciplines. Regardless, I’ll be between 40 and 50 when I’m done. All are advanced sciences. Enjoy your camera. If you want/need some excellent online resources for learning from basics to advanced concepts and techniques, just let me know. If you’re curious to see any of my work, just drop me an email at bipolar2ne@gmail.com. I shoot mostly nature. 🙂
Absolutely I’d love to take a look at any resources you can suggest. I’m always looking to improve my technique 🙂
I really like the poem. I’ve got a divided mind about winter myself. I think it’s beautiful, but like you, I hate to be cold. So, if I can spend cold weather with a fire, books, blankets and such – it’s all good. If I’m out mushing around in slop, and freezing my footsies off – not so good!
As long as I’m inside I’m fine too, but I miss the sun so very much! 😦
Winter seems so appealing in the Fall. The quiet of snow days and fresh, undisturbed powder. Then it turns into that grey slush. Add that to the ‘parasites.’ I like this poem
The snow never stays beautiful for long thanks to pollution and salt 🙂
Very good Megan, make sure to keep all of your poems, they are definitely good enough for a book. I know what you mean by winter, it’s just yucky and nasty. I think the ground hog lied this year, but hopefully it will be here soon. Very good poem.
Thanks 🙂 hopefully there’s publishing in my future
Winter can be so long and dreary. I hate the lack of long hours of daylight most of all. Do you think somewhere like Hawaii would suit your personality if it were possible to live there?
That’s what I hate most of all. Soon we will be forwarding our clocks ahead 1 hour. I guess it’s supposed to make the daylight catch up 😉
I used to feel that way about winter, I used to be cold natured. OH actually felt colder to me than NJ or VA. Then I moved way South and met the 110 degree summer. The over 100 for 3 straight months summer. Let me tell you, now I miss the winter.
The OH valley, which is where I live and where OH lies, is a very humid place, so a lot of times it feels really cold here just because of the moisture in the air. Basically, it’s terrible…
I feel the same way about winter. I’m also not too fond of summer, either. Spring and fall are the best seasons for me.
They definitely are, being in the middle of the two extremes 🙂
I am there with you girl. I HATE cold. Cant take it. My fingers go numb and white (“Raynaud’s”) and my hands and arms turn blue. Even at 50 degree weather. Right now everything is grey with emission slime. Loved the reality of “winter’s bane” and the hope of Spring again.
Ugh, it’s the same with me! I always say when my hands are cold that they resemble those of a corpse (morbid, but true)! I long for spring!
I do not like the Winter season at all. I was born and raised in Chicago, IL. I am so glad I live in Georgia now and I do not like when it gets cold here. LOL
Chicago is a great place, but the winters are harsh, probably because of the lake. I would love to live in Georgia. I’ve heard Savannah is especially beautiful 🙂
Frankly, I don’t like Winter much either. I sit here waiting for her to pass too! Lol.
Hopefully it will only linger a few more weeks! Fingers crossed 😉
Yes…hopefully! Fingers crossed! Lol.
My initial thought, on reading that you don’t like the cold, is to think of various positive things about it. But I agree, the winters in this area are crummy. At least it started late this year. I don’t know where you’re at in Indiana, but over here, I don’t think we got any snow in November *or* December. I actually think New Year’s Day was our first snow fall of the year. … Anyway, nice post. Hope you’re doin’ well.
True, the first snowfall didn’t come til later in the season. We have’t gotten that much snow in awhile! I think it was around 16″ that fell within only a few hours.
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
I’M BEGINNING TO FEEL THE SAME! MORE MIXED PRECIP. INCOMING! –Jonathan
Thank you for reblogging this 🙂 That’s quite the compliment to me.
Lovely 🙂 I also hate winter and love spring. The only good things about winter are log fires and hot puddings!
🙂 that does sound quite lovely.
I am solar-powered, and I do not like the winter. Even my moderate California winters are too much for me, so I am with you on this!
Lovely poem! I especially like how you have winter retreating and hibernating, just like us anti-winter people do.
Never move to the Midwest! The winters are terrible. I’ve been seriously contemplating moving to a warmer climate once my bf is finished with his PhD.
I can relate to what you are saying about cold weather in the mid-west. I lived in Ohio for a few years. Spring was very nice, Summer a bit humid , but I could hang. Autumn was alright by me. Then it would come to winter. I was so uncomfortable with Winter In Ohio. All I could think of was Phoenix., and getting back home. From what I remember the three Winters I spent there were on record for the most snow and coldest temperatures. I do remember snow drifts as high as a house, on the Ohio Turn Pike. It was Christmas Eve and I had to a friend to Toledo to catch a plane. A scary drive. The below zero days, with wind chill, wow that was beyond cold.
Sitting here thinking about it makes me shiver. Trying to remember what years I was there. The best I can come up with is the mid 70’s Anyway, the first chance I had to come back to Phoenix I took it. And I haven’t been back since. I would ask you what the weather was like there today. Here it was a 75 degree sunny day… Sorry I don’t mean to brag so.
I am envious of Phoenix weather! I feel like I haven’t seen the sun in quite some time and I miss it dearly. I think it topped around 37, 38 degrees here today. It’s quite terrible. As soon as my bf finishes his PhD, I’m wanting to move somewhere with a much better climate!
OMG You wouldn’t know it today.. It started raining last night and it hasn’t let up. And the temperature dropped about 20 degrees.lol I guess that’s what I get for bragging. I’ll be quiet on going.
My boyfriend and I are looking at moving to Arizona when he finishes his degree. Even with the rain I think I would love it there 🙂
I’ve lived in Arizona most of my life. Bad weather is rare . Although the summers are a hot experience especially if you have never spent the summer here.I would advise any one moving here to come here fall to winter . That way you have time to acclimate.Anyway it’s a nice place to vacation. Grand Canyon is awesome. And then there is Sedona. And lots of dessert to explore.
I imagine it can get quite hot. It’s not humid there though, at least that’s what I thought. The humidity here is sometimes too much to bear and it makes it seem much hotter than it really is. I hate that.
If where you are at is anything like Ohio. I have experienced humidity. I can say I will take the heat out here any day. The going joke ” But it’s a dry heat” watching them as they sweat . I guess where ever one would go is a trade off. With no perfect world any where on the planet, you weigh the good and bad , then pick the second best thing to perfect. good luck in your search. And if you guys decide on Phoenix you will have to look my up. I have been here long enough to qualify as a tour guide.
I live in Indiana, only about 2.5 hours from Cincinnati!
I live in Indiana, only about 2.5 hours from Cincinnati! We will definitely have to look you up if ever we’re there 🙂
The older I get, the less I seem to like winter. Unfortunately, Spring is tornado season where I live, soi I don’t much like that either. Could we just have fall all year?
Spring is tornado season here too. I can’t remember having too many tornadoes when I was younger, but in the past 5 years the numbers have seemed to sky-rocket.
We had our home destoyed by one in 2006 while we were inside and the PTSD I got from that was one of the factors almost ruined my marriage. We’re not so afraid now, but we drfinitely don’t ignore the warnings either!
That sounds terrible 😦 I’m sorry that happened to you.
I like this, I suffer from SAD so I totally get where you’re coming from. Winter is the worst.
Winter is so depressing. I long for the warm months, perhaps I should just live in an area with a warmer climate!
Yes. Loved this. And agree on all accounts.
=D
Nobody likes cold weather, some people just don’t wanna admit it 🙂
True 🙂
Fall and spring are my favorite seasons. Winter is too cold and summer too hot but yet again. Great post. 🙂
I agree 🙂 Thank you!
Your poem is excellent! I agree with Grndma Chris that you should keep these poems for a future book. I too am not a winter person. My husband and I joke around about how cold I get during the winter months. I’m referred to as “the walking dead” because my body gets so ice cold, even on days when it’s 50 degrees out. It’s ridiculous. I love being outdoors, but when winter (correct that – fall) comes I instantly transform into a hermit, held prisoner in my home. Come on summer!
I’m the same way. I’m always cold! My feet and hands and nose (aka my extremities) are the victims of even the slightest temperature drop. My hands sometimes look like that of a corpse…;) Hermits unite!
You had me cracking up! I’m exactly the same. Yes, people can just call us the OCD hermits. 🙂
Yeah, they can think what they want! I’m not going out there! 🙂
Ahhh … I am the opposite, I like the winter.
Nevertheless … I love that photo of the leaf.
I love that photo too 🙂 I just made an excuse to show it!
Great blog x
Thank you =D
Simply Beautiful.
What a lovely thing to say 🙂 thank you
Very well written and provides a window into your inner being, which is terrific. I hope you manage to overcome your difficulties; I too have to live with some difficult issues so let’s both try and pull through eh? Obviously though, it seems struggle creates beautiful minds in your case so keep it up won’t you? I’ll be reading
It’s a daily struggle, but I am learning along the way more about myself and others. I’ve gotten much closer with my family and am enjoying life a little more each (good) day 🙂 Thank you for your kind words! That means so much to hear you say that.
Well that is always a good thing and I know you will keep making progress as time goes by. Do keep at it and I’ll be sure to keep following your posts to see how you get on. I enjoy the communal aspect to blogging because it introduces me to some interesting folks and that in turn, teaches me more about myself
I too have met so many great people through blogging and continue to meet many more!
great poem!!! you know what could “maybe” make the winters a bit easier on you? a nice, bit, fat bowl of beef bibimbop. i’d be doing that in a heartbeat… :o)
Thank you! Yes, the red chili paste would definitely bring a bit of nuclear warmth to my mouth 😉
Beautiful poem! Thank you for sharing!!!
Grew up in Pennsylvania my entire life and completely understand hating winter! I always said if it would just snow a few days the week before Christmas, Christmas Eve, New Years Eve and New Years day and then melt and become warm and sunny things would be perfect….luckily for me I fell in love with a Texas man and moved down South! The past two winters….have been divine compared to what I was used to!!!
That would be great if it snowed only on Christmas and only very lightly 🙂 No blizzards or whatnot! I’m envious of you for getting to live in Texas 🙂
It is so beautiful here and I have become very spoiled by the weather I consider it chilly if the temp is under 75!!! And in February I was able to go walking in the water at the coast in capris, a tank top and flip flops! I will never move back to where it snows!!!!
Oh my goodness! I thought it was a warm 50 today! I am dreaming/pining for 75 degrees. Lucky duck!
I will soak up some sun for you!
😀
we don’t have snow here in the philippines… i don’t know what winter is like… but your blog makes it sound very interesting. 🙂
No! Be thankful for a non-winter home 😉 I envy that. If ever you’d like to experience it for a short while, just visit the Midwest.
really? wow.. people here are always excited to hear of snow… and really want to see snow.
hopefully i get to visit someday soon…
and i hope you get to visit our warm and sunny country too… 🙂
🙂 While it’s pretty to look at, it’s dangerous to drive in and eventually it turns ugly and gray 😀
oohhh.. i see..
oh well… hahahhaa..yes, very pretty to look at…
Wonderful poem 🙂 I am the opposite, absolutely love Winter! But I do notice my depression flaring up more with the dark, cold days 😦
You have a great, very popular blog here! Well done to you 🙂
I am not as cheerful on cold, winter days. I dread the journey to work! But mother nature never disappoints and she brings Spring and Summer soon enough 🙂
I love this piece! So similar to how I feel about winter – i get all excited when I see sun rays here in naturally ‘cold’ England and it makes me feel like there is a purpose to wake up and smile. Very well written xx
Very true 🙂 Those beautiful days, which seem to be few and far between, are often enough to get me smiling 🙂
I think this is a very good poem, and I can relate psychologically on a metaphorical level to especially the last part
I’m glad that you could relate to the poem 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
I agree, winter has it’s moments, especially after a fresh snow fall but I am SSOOOOOO ready for spring. Love that photo! 🙂
We got a sneak peek at spring this weekend and it was wonderful! Now we’re back to the bleak, rainy days.
Wonderful poem Megan. I too, am not a fan of winter. My fingers lose blood circulation whenever I walk through the refrigerated section at the grocery store. Having been born and living in the north for a number of years, I do feel your frustration. Alas, spring is around the corner!
I hated going to the grocery store when I was little because it’s always cold, but I’ve adjusted to it out of necessity 😉 thanks For sharing!
I wish I could just get rich and buy my own island where it’s warm all year round. That’s my dream. I am not moved by the seasons. I feel nothing for them. Not a sentimental bone in my mechanical body. The weather is good like for one week in the fall, and one week in the spring where I live. 95% of the time it is uncomfortable — other then that I like how you poets on here are always so organized and professional with your poems. I make mine real disorganized and follow few patterns so it’s just one big psychedelic mess resembling the Aurora Borealis if it were shining on top of a land fill. I guess I’m too lazy to be organized or I have selective organization abilities. OCD and disorganization are about as good of a mix as being a megalomaniac and a burn out at the same time.
😉 This is me exactly. We must live in similar climate zones because there is literally like one or two weeks of perfect weather before it becomes to nuclear or too freaking cold. I hate that about this area. I love that my family is here, but I hate the weather. It’s funny that you say that my poems are so organized. This is exactly a trait of my OCD. I am too much of a perfectionist and apparently it shines through in my writing =D
That’s not OCD technically that’s something that occurs along side OCD 34% of the time. That’s Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (sigmund freud called it’s anal retentive. I guess you could call it neurotic perfectionism mixed with a brain like a machine for details). Well it’s not OCD according to doctor’s but I guess in the new dsm 5 it’s apart of the OCD spectrum. My favorite professional skateboarder has severe ocd and ocpd. I don’t think of a ocpd as a disorder like ocd. I consider it a strength. Andrew Reynolds is the best skateboarder because of his high standards and because he thinks like someone with ocpd he unlike other skateboarders knows exactly how to do tricks in detail step by step just like me.
I think in some ways it’s a strength too 🙂 Sometimes my days are just terrible, but I realize that my “perfectionism” is an asset to my job. I couldn’t do it so well without it!
best
megan
Awesome!!!!
Loving your blog. 🙂 It’s sweet and inspiring!
I’m so glad you enjoy it 🙂
nice to see others like myself..winter is beautiful as are all seasons..it’s just natures way…but man do I hate being cold I wish to live where the sun is always around warming my soul cause that is what it really does…other than giving me a good tan:)..poem does it for me:)
that’s exactly how I feel, hence the poem 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
I like your photo very much! I’ve just taken a similar one last days 🙂
Thank you! Your photography is great. I love the one of the finch 🙂
thank you very much! 🙂
Beautiful, Megan. You nailed it with how unnatural our heat and light are in the winter months. Funny, but I used to really grumble about winter, and now I guess I’m learning to see the beauty of it. Still – I’m ready for spring with you!
completely agree. here in london, it’s still snowing… in march! ugh.
It snowed here today 😦 So sad.