Winter Fancies

I

  Winter without
    And warmth within;
  The winds may shout
    And the storm begin;
  The snows may pack
    At the window pane,
  And the skies grow black,
    And the sun remain
  Hidden away
    The livelong day—
But here—in here is the warmth of May!

II

  Swoop your spitefullest
      Up the flue,
      Wild Winds—do!
What in the world do I care for you?
  O delightfullest
      Weather of all,
      Howl and squall,
And shake the trees till the last leaves fall!

III

  The joy one feels,
      In an easy chair,
  Cocking his heels
      In the dancing air
That wreathes the rim of a roaring stove
Whose heat loves better than hearts can love,
  Will not permit
      The coldest day
      To drive away
The fire in his blood, and the bliss of it!

IV

Then blow, Winds, blow!
  And rave and shriek,
And snarl and snow
  Till your breath grows weak—
While here in my room
  I'm as snugly shut
As a glad little worm
  In the heart of a nut!