Competition Entry

A cold slap in the face with every opened door
Painful shivers all the way from fingers to toes
Freezing vehicle interiors against vulnerable thighs
Blasts of cold air from the car vents before it can warm
Slush seeping through the small holes in white crocs
Ice preventing lake days with friends
Pasty white skin hidden under layers of clothes
Shorts, sandals, tank tops… all packed away
Drowning in bulky winter jackets and scratchy wool scarves
Deadly black ice pushing cars into snowy ditches
Time consuming work removing layers of new snow from wide driveways
The inability to walk outside without shoes feeling the tall green grass
Forgotten vibrant flowers and intricate butterflies
Depressing sickness bringing flowing noses and aching coughs
Lasting burns after premature sips of hot coffee
Shortening days consisting of school… school… school
Late arrivals due to the scraping of ice-covered windshields
Aching, lifeless fingers after time spent outside
Feeling the subzero steering wheel against bare palms
But isn’t winter “the most wonderful time of the year?”
Wonderful?
Throat-warming hot cocoa after a friendly snowball fight
Exciting basketball games on Tuesday and Thursday evenings
Fashionable sweaters that feel like a warm hug
Oversized, stylish flannels layered over snug sweatshirts
Exchanging of presents and laughs with family and friends
Gathering around a table jam-packed with food, giving thanks
Face-warming steam lifting from a fresh bowl of soup
Pleasing aromas wafting from a busy kitchen
Avidly watching Sunday night football in front of a crackling fire
Trophy fish emerging from holes drilled into a frozen lake
Beautiful landscapes of snow-covered trees on peaceful weekend drives
Spending quality time at a family hunting cabin sharing rib-tickling stories
Joyful cheers for the beginning of the New Year
Weekly snowshoeing treks through the new snow with a dog in tow
Soft flakes of snow landing effortlessly on an outstretched tongue
Oh, the joy the season brings
Definitely, the most wonderful time of the year