Winter seems to be taking a cue from Dylan Thomas and is raging against the dying of the light this year. Despite the first day of spring approaching, my town was under a blizzard warning this morning, mostly due to high winds rather than a lot of additional snow. While I enjoy snow, I do not enjoy dangerous snow-related conditions, so despite my school district not even delaying school today (they later released them early, though), I chose to burn a sick day rather than risk traveling against the recommendation of The Weather Channel. Needless to say, I am about done with the icky weather this year. I'm also done with the illness our little family has been struggling with over the winter. Everyone is well just now, but I'm not loving the clinic bills coming in. Sigh.
December/ March
I.
Gossamer flakes dance
drifting gracefully as swans
creating a fairyland
of ice and frost.
Transforming barren trees
to otherworldly creatures,
softening hard edges
to velvet marshmallows.
Once the alabaster blanket nestles,
a deep, peaceful stillness descends,
muffling once-harsh sounds,
soothing and refreshing the spirit.
When at last the clouds part,
the diamond-encrusted landscape
is too much to take in,
so much light overwhelms the senses.
II.
Globs of wadded tissue
dribble from the sky.
Clumsily splattering to earth,
the frozen slush conspires.
Unsuspecting feet
make unscheduled express routes,
leading to wet posteriors
and strings of expletives.
The joyless gray sky
yields nothing but jagged glass,
tearing at tender cheeks
and obscuring vision.
When at last clumps cease descending,
the wicked wind kicks up,
throwing Mother Nature's vomit
at unlucky travelers again.
