Thursday, December 6, 2007

Winter Song

We have about 3 inches of snow on the ground from Tuesday night's storm, and the forecasters are predicting another 2-4 inches tonight. As much as I abhor the cold, I must admit I've loved the snow ever since I was a child. There's nothing cozier than hot chocolate by the fireplace while watching snow sprinkle softly outside the window. Yes, Southern California may have its warm weather charms, but I'll take The Midwest in the month of December, hands down!
Summer joys are o'er
Flowerets bloom no more,
Wintry winds are sweeping;
Through the snowdrifts peeping,
Cheerful evergreen
Rarely now is seen.
Now no plumed throng
Charms the wood with song;
Icebound trees are glittering;
Merry snowbirds, twittering,
Fondly strive to cheer
Scenes so cold and drear.
Winter, still see
Many charms in thee,
Love the chilly greeting,
Snowstorms fiercely beating,
And the dear delights
Of the long, cold nights.
(Ludwig Holty)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good one - We just have sloppy sleet and freezing rain here. Loved that poem. I searched around for one, but the Bill S and Emily D one's I remembered seemed to somber or severe. Here is one I found that I had never read before and I liked it very much too!

Now Winter Nights Enlarge

by Thomas Campion (1617)


Now winter nights enlarge
The number of their hours,
And clouds their storms discharge
Upon the airy towers.
Let now the chimneys blaze,
And cups o’erflow with wine;
Let well-tuned words amaze
With harmony divine.
Now yellow waxen lights
Shall wait on honey love,
While youthful revels, masques, and courtly sights
Sleep’s leaden spells remove.

This time doth well dispense
With lovers’ long discourse;
Much speech hath some defence,
Though beauty no remorse.
All do not all things well;
Some measures comely tread,
Some knotted riddles tell,
Some poems smoothly read.
The summer hath his joys
And winter his delights;
Though love and all his pleasures are but toys,
They shorten tedious nights.

Kelly said...

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing, Jim. I love poetry.