No Matter How Cold The Winter

A girl and a boy sit bundled by a blanket near the pot belly stove
And the sound of their father's axe is hacking outside the window
They haven't eaten in 2 days and the dead rabbits lay on the table
The wind whips scary sounds all about the cabin
"Do you think father's alright?" she said.
"Don't you worry none sis', he's the strongest man in the territory."
And he cradled his sisters head and began to stroke her reddish hair
"I'm scared Johnny, what if something happens?"
Just then a blood curdling yowl rang out and footsteps encircling the house
Forced the children beneath the bed
The front door swung open and in came four apparitions
Hovering in the air, where the children could see the rabbits
Dripping blood onto the floor and making a dripping sound
The apparitions did not say a word, they just departed from whence they came
Leaving the rabbits without their fur.

They searched and searched but never did find a trace of their father
And they wondered to themselves, how would they make it through the winter
Well after the rabbit stew was done and they could find no more food for snow
they lay down in the bed and said:  Dear Lord let us sleep the sleep of bears
And help us make it through each and every night, without hunger and without fright
AMEN
As they slept the sleep of angels, the winter became the spring
And when their eyes did open, they hadn't missed a thing
The rabbits were on the stove boiling, their father sat in his chair
Morning my little darlin's, the strangest thing has happened out there
they opened the door in amazement, the winter had become the spring
And when they asked their father what had happened
He had but one answer, he said
No matter how cold the winter
It never stops the spring................

Tony Taylor (Chicago)