Out In the Cold

Hurrying home from a hearty meal
Korean takeaway tucked under one arm
And the wind pierces new holes through my ears
and gloveless hands are fast turning numb.

Insatiable sweet tooth takes a turn
into the 24 hour convenience store
Between the worlds of shelter and storm
A lump of human matter by the autodoors.
What human could say the lump in his throat
by the mere sight
never mattered?

The wind chills tore at my face
save for my arctic winter coat
And there I had been grumbling over forgotten gloves
when there were much bigger things going forgotten.
Lying invisibly naked in the cold.

Two weeks till Christmas.
And all the banks
Have fat cheery employees wearing reindeer hats
Their hopes insured and sheltered
From the storm.

When the government gives humanity a chance
A roof and a bed in negative ten is all one can ask

But the compromise of a developed democracy
means the minority sleeps out in the cold.

In the top-end bars of Toronto tonight
Champagne rings in success of the season.
In alleys and street corners, buried from sight
Living ghosts hold missing pieces.