Winter is our reward
for the killing
of the
warmer days
For basting
in sunlight sauce
For holding
condensations
on the glasses
of the ways
Now we embrace
the cold
bare
naked in the trees
wet is their
slimy armour
dampened
by  dismay
by all
our needy greed

In the land of Chile, far and wide,
There grew a chilli, filled with pride.
But this wasn't just any spice,
Its tale, my friend, is quite precise.

From Mexico, the seeds did roam,
Across the seas to find a home.
They landed in the Andes' care,
In Chile's soil, rich and rare.

The chilli grew, with zest and zing,
But felt a chill in early spring.
It shivered in the mountain air,
A chilli's fate, oh quite unfair!

"A Mexican chilli," it declared with cheer,
"Should be warm and full of fiery cheer!
But here I am in Chile's breeze,
Chilly and cold, I want to freeze!"

The farmers laughed and wrapped it tight,
In blankets warm, a funny sight.
They whispered tales to keep it warm,
Of sunlit days and summer's charm.

The chilli dreamed of spicy dishes,
Of tacos, salsas, all its wishes.
But in the Andes' chilly hold,
It felt its dreams were getting cold.

One day it met a cactus bold,
Who said, "Dear chilli, do be told,
In Chile's cold, you'll find your spark,
A chilly chilli, leaves a mark."

The chilli laughed and found its place,
In soups and stews, a warming grace.
For even in the coldest climes,
A chilli's spice can charm at times.

So next time you taste a fiery bite,
Remember the chilli's chilly plight.
From Mexico to Chile's crest,
A chilly chilli can be the best!

I was in 4th grade at
Hubble Elementary.
Eddie Van Patten was
in 6th grade.
He was a big kid, even
for a 12-year-old.
He had a bowl cut,
and freckles.
Eddie was a  
troublemaker,
but he never  
bothered me.

One bitter cold
January afternoon,
he slipped on a  
patch of ice,
hit the back of
his head and died.
Mr. Maguire, the
gym coach said,
It was the occipital bone.
We were all told
to feel the back of  
our heads.
The coaches' eyes
didn't have that
sparkle anymore.

He said,
“You have to  
learn how to
fall, always protect
the back of your head.
If you don’t land right,
It can **** you.”

For the next
week, we practiced
tumbling and
learning to fall the
right way.
I was sad for
Eddie, but I wanted
to play dodgeball.