Old Man Winter

He blows in with a forceful hand
Replacing golds and reds with white
As though the object of the game
Is hide all color out of sight.

And sucking warmth from sunny days,
He exhales icy acrobats
That jump down collars, slip up sleeves
And slide beneath our woolly hats.

But then, one day, Old Winter smiles
And in cahoots with Mr. Sun,
He offers up a perfect day
For skating, skiing, having fun.

And in his wintry wisdom says,
Remember, only when I'm here,
Do people gather 'round a fire,
Replete with happiness and cheer.

My coldness gives plants time to sleep
And kills some bugs--a good thing, no?
And up until it's welcome fades,
What's prettier than falling snow?