Cold

When, at the year's turn, an

unhindered easterly slid into 

the harbour to topple turbulently 

over its low surrounding dam, 

my grandparents' house was

the next obstacle to further

disperse the icy blast.

A small, narrow window below

the high ceiling of their toilet 

exposed an indirect colour sample 

of the sea, while parallel flames 

of a petroleum stove projected

wedges across the tiled floor, 

lighting-out a heavy stone jar -

its salt (to be added after a 

flush) in combination with 

austere burning, prevented the 

system from freezing over - like

words that simultaneously aim 

to safeguard an experience and  

keep the world's cold at bay.