A Hymn to Winter

Temps this morning were around 0 degrees. I can hardly type b/c my fingertips are numb (and I'm indoors!). While this song is about Minnesotans, not Michiganders, there are many things we share with our western neighbors. It will make you smile about the trials of winter, even if you're somewhere warm and sunny right now (you'll just have to stick your head in the freezer for 20 minutes to understand a bit). You read this while I get some hot tea (not to drink, just to hold!).

A HYMN TO WINTER

We've suffered through three months of summer
Endured it without a complaint,
Though we are true Minnesotans
And at 80 degrees we feel faint.
But now that the leaves are falling
Our spirits are on the rebound
Now we wait for that day in November
When we wake up to snow on the ground.

On that morning we'll put on our parkas
And enjoy that first winter day,
The tree limbs stark and dramatic
The sky a cold dark gray.
The wind picks up and we smile
We laugh at the hard freezing rain.
For we are northern people
And we're happier when we're in pain.

Some people complain about winter
The fancy and the effete,
The people who play New Age music
The people who cook with Mesquite
The people who use the word "network"
And I know it's not nice to say
but that is the beauty of winter:
It keeps all those people away.

In summer you get the illusion
That life must be gentle and warm
But wisdom comes to us in winter
When we have to stay home in the storm
When the blizzard comes out of the northwest
You cannot do as you would do
So winter is when nature teaches
That the world is not here to please you

And so we look forward to winter
And setting some new record lows
There's nothing so good for a person
As the sting of cold air in your nose
We enjoy the long hours of darkness
We enjoy being blasted and chilled
The wonderful thing about suffering is:
It helps to relieve our guilt

We're hardy midwestern people,
Not meant for the comfortable life.
We're bred to be stubborn and sturdy
And thrive on struggle and strife.
We're happy with frostbitten faces,
With ice frozen to our eyelash,
With stuff running out of our noses,
And freezing on our moustache.

We stand with our long jumper cables
Dressed in our snowmobile suits,
Wearing our scarves and our mittens
And gigantic double-lined boots.
In summer we're selfish and spoiled,
But winter is good for the heart.
No matter how cold it is, neighbor,
We'll come out and give you a start.

COPYWRIGHT 1996 Garrison Keillor