Walking in Winter (Limbs in Locomotion)

Learning to walk on a wintry day-
As you've no doubt encountered, it isn't child's play!
You can scuffle and shuffle along on your bum,
You can sit on a sledge or stretch out on your tum.
On the ice you slide forward, heel to numb toes,
Thoughtless and reckless, or cautious and slow.

Patches of hard frost and cold lace of white.
"Over here, hold on- this bit looks alright!"
Braced in a line with our arms linked together-
We topple like dominoes. "Giving up?" "Never!"

Jittering, skittering, shiny-shoe dances,
Bundled-up Eskimos, taking no chances.
Though it's a setting for Märchen romances,
Runny noses aren't great when making advances.

Salt on the pavements turns pretty scenes to mush,
Melted chunks of courage into the gutters rush.
You're determined not to let the pesky elements defeat you,
But one step out of place- your feet come sliding up to meet you!

Once you've gone down it's a mission to rise,
Suddenly wishing you were in disguise
Groaning and grunting, lunge at passers-by,
You just have to laugh- or else you would cry!

Festoons of white glitter upon windowpanes,
Trace out a message, a picture, a name.
Spirits of the wintertime in my imagination
Never thought their snowy 'gift' would bring such consternation!