Spring Cold

Spring’s here but winter is reluctant to go
resentfully blows helpless dust and chip
papers around, people are dressed for April
and freeze, huddled in naked streets.

Women are the coldest, short skirts and
see through blouses and ruffled hair,
like migrating birds returning too early
finding the nest occupied by squatters.

A new set of lungs, heart or liver will not
help winter much now, it can choose to
scream angry words to an uncaring god
or walk off stage with dignity