It is silent
Cold
Too Cold
Mother sleeps near
Little Sister too
Huddle close
Need warmth
Must have it
So Cold
And the silence...

I awaken
Must get up
The cows need milking
The chickens feeding
Silence...

I stand
Pressing away my Mother's arm
Tucking the blankets under my little Sister
She moans
Is Cold
Like me...

Wrap the shawl around me
Full of holes like an old spider web
Broken by drops of the Cloud's tears
Heavy with Remorse...

Silent still
Wait for Father's voice
Across the field
Not there
Silent...

I wander to the Window
Searching
Feet numb
Like ice
Can't feel my fingers
Try to warm them
Breath fogging before me
I open the window
Peer out on the frosted fields
Through a frosted window
Allowing in more Cold
Must shut it
Where is Father...?

I don't see him
It is dark
Cold
So Cold
Can't stand it anymore
Must shut the shutters...

One creaks closed
Like my Sister's wail
When food is scarce
Like my Mother's cry
When we lost another crop
To the frigid Warrior of Frost...

My Sister moans
Must close the other
Cold
So Cold
It won't budge
Hinges frozen
Pull and tug
Think to call my Brother
Remember he left with Father
Can do nothing
Not much Strength left
To do much more...

The grey Veil parts
A ray of Sun angles down
Toward me
Warms my frozen cheek
Like the touch of an Angel
Come to fight back the Warrior
Of this continued Cold...

Cold
So Cold
It is gone
The Angel
My only hope in this monotonous
Terrible Cold
Fear rises
In my throat
A sickening sweetness
Threatening to draw from my belly
What was left of the food
We obtained a week ago...

Cold
So Cold...

And the Fear of not seeing
That ray
That Angel again
Rising
Rising like my Mother's fever
Rising to beat down the effects
Of the Cold
And instead numb me
To the point
Where life
Is meaningless...

Cold
So Cold...