Winter’s nip seeps through my pores,
creeping through vessels and nerves
till it finds my thinning bones,
circling ’round, sealing in the cold.

Shivering, I curl into the recliner,
snuggling with layers of quilted comfort.
Glowing cheeks, reflections of a well-lit fire,
flush brighter with my first sip of tea.

Revived, nerves and muscles jerk to
attention, stimulating blood flow,
warming these precious wands of marrow–
no longer chilled to the bone.