Winter came to visit

temperatures dipped

three days of snow

Early morning walk

through the woods

snow crunched

Breath in puffs

of white

skin tingles

Female cardinal frozen

in the wooded path

still and perfect

Death around me

I can’t seem

escape it

I push forward

with sorrow

in my chest

I doubled back

pick her up

carry her home

I bury her

in the garden

proper and fitting place

She will rest

by the roses

both are blood red

Will her mate

miss her

will he grieve

As I grieve

my loved ones

buried in frozen earth