three friends of winter

The Japanese have a tradition which can be summed up in this poem; what are your three friends of winter?

 

what are your 

   pine

three friends 

   plum

of winter

   bamboo

 

 

these are Alec’s

   two hotties

three friends 

   warm towels

of winter

   & spinach soup

 

 

these are Emily’s

   snowdrops

three friends 

   yew

of winter

   & redwings

 

 

these are Tamara’s

   pine needle tea

three friends 

   late sunrises

of winter

   & empty beaches

 

 

these are Brighid’s

   feels normal being inside

three friends

   warm glow feeding birds at the window

of winter

   & all my best woollies   

 

 

these are Kate’s 

   Orion’s belt

three friends

   apple porridge 

of winter

  & wrapped in blankets   

 

 

these are Lizzie’s 

   two hotties 

three friends 

   winter sun 

of winter

   & a cup of nice tea

 

 

these are Cheviot’s

   dumplings 

three friends 

   hot pot pork ribs stew 

of winter

   with chewy cartilages

 

 

these are Anna’s

   soothing light
three friends 

   low sun
of winter

   & crisp air

 

 

these are Jenny’s

   chai tea

three friends 

   low sunshine

of winter

   & frosty breath

 

 

these are Elaine’s

   woodsmoke

three friends 

   Venus
of winter

   & early-to-bed rooks

 

 

these are Carrie’s

   wild spindle
three friends 

   vanilla kipfel 
of winter

   & pink mittens

 

 

 these are Robin’s

   hat

three friends 

   gloves

of winter

   & the moon

 

 

these are Susan’s

   mince pies

three friends 

   candles

of winter

   & a good book

 

 

these are Natalie’s

   bicycle lights
three friends

   woollen jumpers

of winter

   & grey geese

 

 

these are Anna’s

   whisky & ginger

three friends 

   playing cards

of winter

   & the woodstove

 

 

these are Rachel’s

   tarragon 
three friends 

   english breakfast
of winter

   & a wet dog

 

 

these are Jacqueline's

   tammies

three friends

   revels

of winter

   & Robert Wyatt

these are Brighid’s

   crisp white grass underfoot in the cemetery 

other three friends

   nature’s beautiful bones against the sky

of winter

   & sunsets of fire 

 

 

these are Garry’s

   patience

three friends

   woolly hat

of winter

   & Spring

 

 

 

these are Hester’s

   red-ice skies

other three friends

   candlelight

of winter

   & Tia Maria (& love)

 

these are Charlotte’s

   Twiggy

three friends

   Bella

of winter

   & the short-eared Owl

 

 

these are Ali’s

   double socks

three friends

   sprouts

of winter

   bin lid glitter

 

 

these are Juliet’s

  blue skies

three friends 

 geese flying overhead

of winter

  & long shadows

 

 

these are Tara’s

   wild- dapple-wind

three friends

   haw-burst -berry

of winter

   moth-dust-wing