January 24, 2003

the hours.

nashville. just after midnight.
temperature: 5 degrees fahrenheit.
pressure: 30.63 inches and rising.
visibility: unlimited.

trees are groaning with cold tonight. sky is too clear. stars shiver. moon, exposed. deep breaths are hardwon in this weather. your throat burns and everything you exhale is right in front of you. take a look, world: here is my breath.

and i wrap a lavender scarf tight around my neck. drive my achy car with long sleeves as gloves. frozen steering wheel. my fingers burn, nearly numb. the heater is working overtime and i am grateful for cold to hot and blasting between franklin and brentwood. our black ice highway is abandoned. i accelerate: i could drive anywhere tonight. i go home. brush my teeth with hot water. light the candle of mary's immaculate heart (the one annie bought me at harris teeter, in the mexican food section).

and now i will write awhile.
these are the choices i make.


Posted by bananie at January 24, 2003 12:00 AM | TrackBack
Comments


Cold here, too. Now if you came to visit for awhile, we could light both fireplaces. Still, I'll bet Nashville is warmer than the winds that sweep across the prairie.

Posted by: Gladness at December 0, 0000 12:00 AM


someday, we'll get your Mary and my Mary together, and the universed will be in balance.
a.

Posted by: Sparrow at January 24, 2003 06:06 AM


um... in Liverpool and other places in the UK 'Mary' is a slang term.

It gives sparrow's beautiful comment a TOTALLY different meaning.

smutty-jude xx

Posted by: bandude at January 24, 2003 07:32 AM


Minus 5 and lighting the fire.

Posted by: Cathy at January 24, 2003 07:33 AM


jude, you perv. ;)

Posted by: bananie at January 24, 2003 08:50 AM