“this winter is lonely”

This poem was originally published on The Pittsburgher’s predecessor, The Dog Door Cultural.

I let my dreams leak into my waking life

and now I dream less

I step outside

thinking about how sad and not sad this all is simultaneously

the bare ground is swollen with ice crystals

and I crush them with determined steps

my car door sticks with the cold and I have to pull it harder

it whips back in my face

I'm driving casually to the post office

you flow back over me like hot glue

when I drive through your neighborhood

I have to pull the car over to type about it

this winter is lonely

this winter breaks branches

and drops them on my front lawn

this winter knows my name

and leaves me cold

leaves me like a key turned halfway in the ignition ▲

Elizabeth Adan is a lifelong artist who enjoys deconstructing the smallest moments and largest emotions, often at the same time. Her alliterative, lyrical writing takes on topics ranging from sustainability, nature, love lost/found, and community responsibility. A Pacific Northwest native, her true passion is the great outdoors, soaking up as much inspiration and natural color as possible. Find Elizabeth on Instagram and Twitter @edgeofelizabeth or at www.ElizabethAdan.com.