I just thought I'd put this here

Inversion

Carol Schiess

It's ugly outside, dismal,

dreary, cold, and the air is

bad-- same old, same old.

The cold seeps in, sits

on your bones long enough

to make them hurt--as if

you didn't know. Worse,
the gray finds your soul,
settles in and conquers,

then takes residence

just behind your eyelids.

You can hardly see out--

no news there.

If you had the nerve

you'd wrap your coat

around you, step outside,
scan the sky for blue,
and dare the sun to
get up his guts and

come out of hiding.

It would do no good--

everybody knows that.

Besides, you just may be

as gutless as the sun.

Best to stay inside--you

tell yourself again--curl up

with a blanket in a
nice warm corner,

turn on all the lights

and wait--no courage

required.