winter is scarring, so rending and raw

with breath like an ice-beast's from its open maw

and snow sparkling so white, with one fatal flaw:

's cold, so cold, just shiver and sigh

skies are so flat and far out of reach

the birds have all gone, with none left to preach

black trees dead and leafless, from maple to beech

's cold, so cold, just hope you get by

when ponds freeze right over with deep ringing ice

and far in the ground hide beady-eyed mice

then you can see lovely winter's great vice:

's cold, so cold, just curl up and cry

just when the sun shines sharp winds shear away

the light with dark clouds that ever will stay

and just for the warming we toil all day

's cold, so cold, just lay down and die