It’s been a long winter
And another storm is raging outside
The power is out this Christmas morning
No wrapping paper litters the floor this year
No tree fills the window view
As a family we slept huddled together in the living room
To silence our hunger we eat Pop-Tarts and dry cereal
The drifts block the doors
Cell phones are on low battery mode
But it doesn’t matter
No service blinks at the top
I see the fear in my little ones’ eyes
My wife sends a question with a look,
“What do we do?”
It’s been a long winter
And another storm is raging outside
There are small flames in our neighbor's windows
The battery operated radio is just static
Until we find a voice on an a.m. station
He tells us that this is the worst storm in years
As if we didn’t know
I wonder if I have the Faith to wait it out
Or should I grab a shovel and a scarf?
My wife produces a cassette tape
The joyful music feels like a scream in the grey sunshine
I see a small wisp as I breathe out
My oldest daughter has a book
Everyone has a blanket
Then our heads snap up in shock
As a howl fills the space
There is a pack of wolves running between the houses
Snipping at each other
Sniffing the wind
On sits atop the drift in front of our patio doors
I shrug in amazement toward my family
It’s been a long winter
It is Christmas morning
Another storm is raging outside
Instead of wrapping paper on the floor
We have wolves at the door
