Winds of winter whistle
Through the cracks around windows
And whine under the door,
Like coyotes yelping, wanting in for the warmth.
Winds of winter howl in the pines
Mimicking wolves and the sound of hunger,
Isolating in its sheer desperation.
Within I counter with my own sound-scape:
A fire crackles in the hearth;
Ravel and Respighi play on the radio.
I set the kettle on the burner,
Watch the flames lap with blue tongues
And listen to the cheery skirl
That holds at bay the screech owl
And the moon-lusting lupines.
