Twas the Night Before Christmas Eve...

Twas the night before Christmas Eve and all about the house
you could hear chimes clanging, wreaths knock knocking, and lights bounce bouncing in a balmy 50 Vermont degrees!
What matter of evil!
climate change changing.

Yet within the house all cozy and warm,
the only sounds heard were
the nestling of Aunt Mary under comfy down blanket,
and my love's deservedly deep cancer slumbering,
all to the tune of Addie, Bella, and Charlie's contented dog snoring.

But my mind!
Not sleeping, alert and unending.
How mixed between anticipation and
fearing—like December skiing
more icing than snowing—
will I blow out a knee or continue on slowly?

Such a holiday it is
like the edge of a knife
one side darkness, the other light
one of freezing, one of thawing
the season all food once had to be saved by
now bolstered with tropical food
inching us ever closer to ending.

I look for truth as if it a balm mending a broken spirit and bringing about calming.