I forget sometimes

that others think him beautiful,

to me, he is not a face,

but a feeling,

a certain slant of light

on the kitchen floor

in early morning.

Spring twirls her hair and coyly gazes over her drink at Fall, who likes the attention but doesn't want to start anything new right now. Meanwhile, Summer kneads Winter's thigh with her hand and whispers something urgently in his ear, but the older man pushes her away with a thin, white hand and goes to the heater to warm himself up.

The women had planned this seduction for months, debating how best to convince Winter to give love one more try, how best to overcome Fall's fear of commitment. But when the men proved to be steadfast in their solitude, Spring and Summer decide to transfer their affections to Sun and Rain instead.

The moment that your eyes open, roll to one side and wait until the first wave of thoughts, anxieties and yesterday's earworm washes through the filter of your mind. These are not important things, merely detritus from the day before, and not worthy of your fresh attention. Check to see if your toes and fingers are warm. If they are cold, rearrange the blankets so that they are bundled and cosy. Now go back to sleep for another 15 minutes.