Christmas Eve 1

Flesh will freeze in mere minutes
the weatherman said

undeterred
she walks ahead

huffing breath
a small white cloud

her coat nearly to her ankles 
like a teacher on yard duty

I am a reluctant traveller 
on this long night

of snow crust 
like burnt toast

it’s too cold to speak 
so we don’t

we simply walk 
red-cheeked

I blink away the blur 
of large snowflakes

we sniffle and shuffle 
inside the church

we are greeted 
with dancing light

fifty people hold candlesticks 
tiny cups catch wax drips

we take ours 
to find warmth

despite soggy boots 
and solemnity

in the cardinal glow 
of this rarest visit