Upon eve’s snowy esses,

Senses see what seem to be ice-blinks—

House-like lights guiding skating wheels—

Homeward bound via gelid rinks. ; )

Rebuffs stithy heart’s defenses,

As iciness becomes expected.

Then, a wave, instead of crashing,

Strokes hope—

Melting will back into wonder. ; )

Paws pause by hot tin roof.

Mews pipe at sham of meerschaum.

Cats fever over scratched red match.

But, felines purr upon cool car’s whir. ; )

Trudgen’s kick does fly,

Not across the sky,

But with heart on fire,

And race to the wire,

Winner needs what works,

Like matter’s sparked perks. ; )

Ugly ducklings, even when imbibing isolation as an alexipharmic to stinging sobriquets, often find themselves questioning whether they are splendid swans or cursed cons. ; )