The Winter Metaphor

See the snow upon the ground

so ubiquitous, yet so fleet . . . so seasonal,

a great pause in the enormous speech of nature.

Feel the adversity of cold,

that challenges us to winter sport,

the mad dash from the car,

or that drives us indoors

to read

upon an unilluminated page

whose aesthetics is preceded by twigs piercing the white winter blanket outside.

Observe the early darkness descend,

cornering souls into stillness

or spirits to wild fireside fantasies

filled with a drama of darkness and light.

Contemplate a long, cold, white death,

A death that

. . . melts away

. . . ………..to another life,

To another greening awaiting another death awaiting another

greening awaiting

another . . .

(Peter Skoggard, 2014)