Winter hasn’t officially started yet in Middle Tennessee, but it was a cold 24 degrees this morning. I understand it is much colder where some of you live.

With this in mind, I wanted to send out a seven-stanza haiku I wrote for a previous writing challenge. We were given the emojis below and challenged to write something. I chose a long haiku.

🥶 🤡👹⚡🎉🙀💜

Not to insult your intelligence, but (as a reminder), a haiku is a verse with three lines: the first and last lines have five syllables, and the second line has seven syllables. I love the freedom within that structure.

The story below is based on a true story.

🥶

An old heart patient
Has thin blood and drinks iced drinks
Complains that he’s cold

🤡

He wears lots of clothes
Long sleeves even in summer
People laugh at him

👹

He complains a lot
Others get annoyed with him
He’s a cold ogre

⚡

The frustrations rise
No one understands his plight
He wants to be warm

🎉

He gets by himself
Turns heat on in the guest room
He’s warm and happy

🙀

Heat makes others sweat
This man just wants to be warm
He’s cold and weary

💜

So he remains calm
And wears a lot of clothing
He’ll be warm later

Disgustingly Simple Life Advice

cold man