It was a frigid winter day
That peculiar kind of cold
that eats into your bones
and hollows them out
It was that particular kind of cold
that freezes up your joints solid
and stills the blood, where even
Hot coffee can’t melt the ice.
It was that particular kind of cold
that even the rain could not soften
into snow … its latent heat
had nowhere to go, so stayed.
It was that particular kind of cold
that the sun mocked us, shining
down from above without
the warmth it should have had.
It was that particular kind of cold
That drove men and women
to huddle without the sex
our survival depended on it.
It was that particular kind of cold
that saw us lock the doors tight
and admit only the healthy
for fear of influenza and plague.
It was that particular kind of cold
that meant December was too slow
in passing, Christmas was without
spirit and we endured as best we could
It was that particular kind of cold
that escape came the way
of a good book that we trapped
ourselves in just to stay warm
It was that particular kind of cold
That meant we stayed in bed
wrapped within ourselves, not carrying
much of the world with us.
It was that particular kind of cold
That we wouldn’t mind being sent
to hell, just to keep warm ’cause
Heaven was up in the frigid sky.
It was that particular kind of cold
that drove me crazy, so crazy
I figured, hell I need a wee dram
To absinthe myself and stay unstuck.
It was that particular kind of cold
That would only drive a man insane
And push out of his heart, and mind
the loftier things that matter.
It was that particular kind of cold
that hollowed me out.
