I have frozen lake independence—
self-sufficiency stuck in a state of stasis,
waiting for spring or a better excuse.

I’m the last bud in the bag,
that lonely bit of green at the bottom—
each time you reach for me,
you know you’re running out.

I’m a scarf left outside,
stiff as a corpse, wrapped tight
around a post under the overpass.
Some do-gooder tied a note to me—
“Take me if you need me.”

but nobody needs me.
everybody’s got their own warmth,
their own coat, their own somebody.

so I stay there,
*******, forgotten,
waiting for some cold *******
to come along and wrap me
around their neck.

I want to be your scarf,
So soft and mohair,
To warm you in snowfalls
And even in rainy autumn.

I will embrace your neck
Like a mother cradles her child.
I’ll save the warmth for you.
Put on the scarf, be so kind.

I want to be your scarf.
Oh, don’t wear scarfs? Well now,
If I can’t softly warm you,
I’ll be your skin somehow.

Scarf...
Without you, my neck would go cold

Love...
Without you, my heart would go cold

Passion...
Without you, my fire would go cold
and then...

Go out.

A winter breeze
brushed against the tassels
of her velvet scarf.

She breathed in
the misty, wet smells
that melt her heart.

Her mittens tickled
the warm, scarlet wool
padded in her pockets.

Winds back and forth
against the snowy trees
rocking large  snow deposits.

She smiled at the
mushy, muddy tracks
her boots evenly made.

She bunched up
a big ball of powdery snow
and in that she played.

Scarf thieves beware.
Cold necks belong to snakes and lizards.
Snakes make snug scarves.
I always wanted a really long scarf
I had one
and it's gone now.

My eyes never close
and I never stop tasting
or shedding my skin
I have many many scales,
none of them in equal temperament,
all of them intricately camouflaged
speckled and striped
coiled and waiting to strike at anything that comes within reach.

Lucky you've got a scarf to protect your neck.

Red leaves on every tree
Falling to rest on the ground
Candles in every room
Smelling of apple and spice

Orange pumpkins with scary faces
Smiling as the people pass by
The light of the moon like a small star
Thousands of miles away

Yellow sun shining on heads
Warming the frozen fingers
Both birds and children call
To mothers and fathers, to friends and family

Brown hair in its own battle
Wrapped up un a striped scarf
Hot chocolate with cinnamon and steam
Drunk from a ceramic mug

All these things come together
These are the colors of Autumn

In autumn, my soul feels closer
To the wind and leaves that fall.
I wrap the world up tightly
And my scarf makes me feel tall.

The breeze that bites and strikes me
And fills my eyes with tears
Is welcome when I'm lonely,
When I cover up my ears.

I love just taking comfort
In the warmth of my own skin
When boots and hat and gloves here
Keep all my warmness in.

If only every day got cold,
And every evening froze:
For then, I'd get to hug myself
From my head down to my toes.

Even in the harrowing hours of the night,
the witching hour, you may say
I stand in an open field in nothing more than a scarf and hat
awaiting the world to come crashing down with fire in her hands.
My ******* perk from hiding,
a warm and loving embrace from the cool winter air,
and the hair on the back of my neck raises with intent on reaching the sky,
I stare forward at the midnight black - awake and so full of stars.