Midwinter Mirage

The world came alive with sunshine and bird song. Warmth emanated from the windows, slight but perceptible. Yesterday, there was frost. Today, I could be tricked into thinking that it is spring. Tricked by the light and avian music. Deceived by the blueness of the sky. Bamboozeled by the green clovers.

As long as I keep my sweater on, it is a harmless con. A little midwinter fantasy of the season to come, a charming mirage that can surprise and delight. As long as I keep my hat and slippers on. Ensure that the heater continues to run. Have another cup of hot tea. Remain reasonable, rooted in reality.

The sun could beckon to my shoulders so that I throw on a sundress. Jubilant piping from these sirenbirds could lure me outside. Verdant weeds could disarm me, luring me to linger despite the chill. Shivering, I might drown in blue sky. Resolve is called for, a reckoning with the facts over flights of fancy, a hard look at a thermometer.

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