Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
"Canadian February Trilogy"
February came knockin’ with a stiff north wind
Rattlin’ the screen door, tryin’ to get in
Got frost on the windows, salt on my boots
A toque pulled down low, thinkin’ hard truths
The days feel shorter than my father’s breath
When he talked about work and the closeness of death
But there’s coffee on, and the radio plays
Some song about hope in quieter days
Oh February, don’t turn away
I know you’re tired, but you still gotta stay
You carry the weight of the year on your back
Between what we’ve lost and what we still lack
From the lakes of Ontario to Alberta skies
You’re the month that teaches us how to survive
The highways are silver from Winnipeg east
The prairies lie flat like a held-back belief
Saskatchewan hums under blankets of white
While Nova Scotia listens to waves through the night
There’s a kind of honesty in the cold
No place to hide, no lies to be sold
You shovel your driveway, you shovel your mind
Tryin’ to clear what you left behind
Oh February, you stubborn old friend
You don’t pretend things are easy again
You stand in the doorway, arms folded tight
Sayin’, “Prove to me first you can live through the night”
From Quebec’s frozen words to B.C. rain
You’re the ache that reminds us we’re still feelin’ pain
The cheque’s in the mail, or so they say
The bills stack up in their usual way
I hear my mother’s voice in the steam from the sink
Sayin’, “Winter makes you stronger than you think”
I drive past the Tim Hortons, lights warm and kind
Every stranger inside feels like kin of mine
There’s mercy in small things, I’ve come to see
A smile, a refill, a place to be
Oh February, you don’t sing loud
You don’t wave flags, you don’t draw a crowd
But you sit with us when the nights run long
Teachin’ quiet hearts how to carry on
From Newfoundland docks to the Yukon line
You’re the longest mile in Canadian time
They say spring’s a promise, just over the hill
But promises don’t keep you warm still
It’s the waiting that shapes you, the standing your ground
When the world’s gone silent under frozen sound
There’s a birthday candle burnin’ down slow
Another year older than I wanted to know
But I make a wish I don’t say out loud
Just to stay soft in a world so proud
February listens, doesn’t reply
Just lets the moon hang low in the sky
Like it’s sayin’, “Son, you’re doin’ just fine
One foot in front of the other, one day at a time”
Oh February, you honest old song
You don’t last forever, but you feel so long
You break us down just to prove we bend
Then hand us the year at the very end
From every cold kitchen to every back lane
You’re the month that teaches us love remains
So I’ll tip my hat as you fade from view
Thanks for the things I learned from you
February, I’ll remember your name
Come next year, you’ll likely be the same
"Canadian February Trilogy"
February came knockin’ with a stiff north wind
Rattlin’ the screen door, tryin’ to get in
Got frost on the windows, salt on my boots
A toque pulled down low, thinkin’ hard truths
The days feel shorter than my father’s breath
When he talked about work and the closeness of death
But there’s coffee on, and the radio plays
Some song about hope in quieter days
Oh February, don’t turn away
I know you’re tired, but you still gotta stay
You carry the weight of the year on your back
Between what we’ve lost and what we still lack
From the lakes of Ontario to Alberta skies
You’re the month that teaches us how to survive
The highways are silver from Winnipeg east
The prairies lie flat like a held-back belief
Saskatchewan hums under blankets of white
While Nova Scotia listens to waves through the night
There’s a kind of honesty in the cold
No place to hide, no lies to be sold
You shovel your driveway, you shovel your mind
Tryin’ to clear what you left behind
Oh February, you stubborn old friend
You don’t pretend things are easy again
You stand in the doorway, arms folded tight
Sayin’, “Prove to me first you can live through the night”
From Quebec’s frozen words to B.C. rain
You’re the ache that reminds us we’re still feelin’ pain
The cheque’s in the mail, or so they say
The bills stack up in their usual way
I hear my mother’s voice in the steam from the sink
Sayin’, “Winter makes you stronger than you think”
I drive past the Tim Hortons, lights warm and kind
Every stranger inside feels like kin of mine
There’s mercy in small things, I’ve come to see
A smile, a refill, a place to be
Oh February, you don’t sing loud
You don’t wave flags, you don’t draw a crowd
But you sit with us when the nights run long
Teachin’ quiet hearts how to carry on
From Newfoundland docks to the Yukon line
You’re the longest mile in Canadian time
They say spring’s a promise, just over the hill
But promises don’t keep you warm still
It’s the waiting that shapes you, the standing your ground
When the world’s gone silent under frozen sound
There’s a birthday candle burnin’ down slow
Another year older than I wanted to know
But I make a wish I don’t say out loud
Just to stay soft in a world so proud
February listens, doesn’t reply
Just lets the moon hang low in the sky
Like it’s sayin’, “Son, you’re doin’ just fine
One foot in front of the other, one day at a time”
Oh February, you honest old song
You don’t last forever, but you feel so long
You break us down just to prove we bend
Then hand us the year at the very end
From every cold kitchen to every back lane
You’re the month that teaches us love remains
So I’ll tip my hat as you fade from view
Thanks for the things I learned from you
February, I’ll remember your name
Come next year, you’ll likely be the same
