By DEBBIE AQUINO
White. It is everywhere.
Up and down, left and right
Snow blankets every sight—
Lawns, gardens, shrubs and trees
Homes, cars, sidewalks and streets.
Falling, fluffy little clouds of white
Cover even traffic lights!
Few cars here and there
Brown, black or neither.
Not a pedestrian anywhere
But cold, white snow everywhere,
Reflecting all the light,
Intensifying the glare
Of the sun so bright,
The view is shimmering
This January frigid morning.
Got to keep warm
So I dress in layers—
Thermal shirt and pants
Made of stretchy polyester
Regular shirt over thermal shirt
Regular pants over thermal pants
Then still another layer,
A heavy-knit, snuggly sweater.
Next, I wear cushy, wool socks
To keep my feet warm and comfy,
Then waterproof, non-skid boots
To keep me walking steady
On snow-covered icy ground
That’s oh, so slippery!
Then I wear my soft fleece gaiter
As nose, mouth and neck cover,
To fend off the biting cold air
In this sub-zero weather.
For the fourth and outermost layer,
Cuddling me, cocooning me all over,
My goose down, puffer coat.
But I’m not done yet.
Got to wear my chunky beanie
To keep my head and ears cozy,
Then my polar fleece gloves
To keep the bitter winter
From freezing my fingers.
And last but not least
My big brown, tinted glasses,
Protection from the dry air
Shield from the winter glare
Softening the harsh light
From the very bright, cold white.
All this is what it takes
Just to walk outside
And get into my stride,
To keep with the pace
Of this northern, wintry place.
I miss Manila. I miss warmth.
There, I don’t need to cover
With multiple, multiple layers.
The author, Debbie Aquino, is from Luzon and has lived in the midwestern US for over 20 years. She is blessed beyond measure, thankful and happy, whether it’s spring or summer, fall or even winter. She may be contacted at [email protected]. (May 27, 2017)