Friday, February 9, 2018

Sounds of Snow

Sounds of Snow

Silence descends
with the snow;
slowly sifts down,
insulates, and muffles.

Boots break the surface 
and crunch
across the icy crust.

Children squeal with delight
as they tumble from their houses.
Triumphant cries of "SNOW DAY!" echo.

Their sled runners slice down the hill.
They groan and huff, 
breathing in the arctic air,
dragging their toboggans,
climbing up to the top for the sole purpose 
of being hurled to the bottom once again.

More grunts and heavy breathing,
while, with soggy mittens,
they roll up snowmen heads and bellies, 
making criss-crossed trails through the yard.

Forts are built, snowball weapons stockpiled,
imaginary war is waged,
with whoops of victory and yelps of surprise
when frozen spheres splat on their intended targets.

Adults and teens groan and grunt,
as shovels bang and scrape
on sidewalks and driveways.
Loads of snow thump to the sides.
Salt pellets from cans and cups rattle down.
Plows rumble and clank over the roads.
Piles of white slush, morph to gray.

Snow melts
back to a muddy silence,
as water drips to the ground
from trees, rooftops, and gutters.
Trickle, glug, gurgle, seep gone.



17 comments:

  1. Your poetry is always vivid, but this one is exquisite in its imagery. I love it!

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  2. I don't know how you do it - you create so many distinct sounds through lively verse. I saw and felt it all. I kept re-reading to watch them drag their toboggans, only to be hurled down again. This is wonderful, Connie.

    Have a peaceful day and weekend.
    PS Loved your contribution to my contest! Thank you!

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  3. that poem sums up the whole snow experience from muffled silence to the gray, gurgle, and gone. Excellent!

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  4. i think i lost my comment - don't know if it posted - anyway, you captured the mood as a kid - ...i remember those days playing in the snow in Kansas City area, .... and then as an adult - ugh not so fun, except to go out and take photos. Love your poem.

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  5. I love the imagery of this one. Makes me feel like I'm right there. I know you all are getting tired of the snow and winter. I'll be so happy to see spring. Have a nice weekend.

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  6. Memories of my childhood- or rather my tween-hood. We lived in Canada and N Dakota and both of course had two seasons- winter and maybe not winter. We always had fun in the snow, but my favorite was the skidoo...when my dad would let me ride it.

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    1. "two seasons- winter and maybe not winter"
      Hahaha! That phrase made me laugh. Thanks, Terri.

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  7. Very, very vivid mental pictures come to my mind with this one! You're a great poet!

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  8. Quite an evocative poem. Took me back to my childhood.

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  9. whenever come to you place i get amazed by this brilliant image at your sidebar an old lady with young shadow :)

    this poem is sooo lovely and stunned me with the painting of words which is displaying the whole elegance of snow times

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  10. Wow! This has got to be one of your best poems ever. Your descriptions are spot-on, and anyone who has ever lived in an area with snow can surely relate, because you stole the images right out of our collective memories.

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  11. I always thought that snow was silent, Connie, but you make it so alive with the imagery in your poem!

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  12. This is a beautiful poem with lovely images of snow. You've done a wonderful job capturing the silence of snow.

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  13. Lovely words to your poem.........I can picture it all!

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  14. The groan and grunt from adults and teens - yep, can relate. You spin the words beautifully Connie.

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  15. Thank you all for your comments! They mean a lot to me.

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  16. another lovely poem. takes me back to my days of youth.

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