Two degrees: haibun with shadorma

Yesterday morning I was in the kitchen moving plates, running water for tea, waking up, when I heard a radio voice announcing the temperature outside as “negative two”. I already knew it was a below-zero morning, the first this fall.  What startled me was the language she used: “negative two”.

negative”

the word slays my mood

try “minus”

to measure

those degrees below zero

they’ll rise to “plus”

~

©2018 Ontheland

17 thoughts on “Two degrees: haibun with shadorma

  1. I like your poem Janice, it makes me smile. Poor two is given a negative personality.
    Yes, minus is the only way I heard before to mesure below zero.
    Hope the weather person has a positive two for you tomorrow.

    miriam

    Liked by 1 person

  2. “negative two” sounds … well, sorry to say “American” … it just sounds dead wrong. Or like a meteorologist who knows nothing about weather, or Fahrenheit and Celsius. Or like some totally bad mathematics problem.
    *sigh* … ah well, perhaps the sun will rise again along with the temps, and we’ll be able to enjoy some more warming than 0 (zero) temps for some time yet.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It caught my ear. I had never heard a minus temperature degree reported that way! Perhaps a slip of the tongue/mind or one of the other theories you offer. Pretty chilly still. I’m even going to get winter tires put on next week (as is suggested for 7 degrees and lower).

      Liked by 1 person

      1. it does sound weird to the ears! And yup, ’tis the season, with the nights dropping close to zero or just below, and some of the days are chilly. We had snow showers the other day – left a temporary white patchy blanket – and it was, heh, lovely for the scene when it was falling. But I’m glad it’s already gone. For now.

        Liked by 1 person

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