Blizzard
Blizzard Reflection (December 27, 2010)
Cold, damp air carries the scent of snow that will arrive soon
As dark, heavy storm clouds fill the sky.
A few tiny flakes fly around and around
Carried by a light breeze before hitting the ground.
Anticipation builds as the wind starts to blow
And the treetops rapidly sway to and fro.
Branches creak as the trees bend far over
And the wind reaches a frenzied 35 miles per hour.
Darkness falls and the wind starts to howl.
It becomes an incessant roar
With gusts reaching 50 miles per hour or more.
No sleep tonight!
Huge groups of snowflakes are transformed
Into geometric patterns by the wind as it comes from all directions.
Crazy 8s, spirals, and whorls are whipped up, down, and all around
And then, they get blown out of view in horizontal sheets…Woosh!
The storm door creaks and I hear dull thuds as snow hits the windowpane.
As time goes by the window becomes plastered with snow,
And I am left with only a tiny space through which to spy the world.
A completely white world!
Heavy snow starts to fall, one…two…three inches per hour
And drifts pile up in response to this onslaught.
I hear the rumble of a snowplow racing down the road
And its blade sends snow flying onto the edge of our driveway.
What driveway? Heavy drifts obliterate it.
The snow has been blown into sensuously curved mounds.
All blemishes of the Earth are covered
And a picture perfect landscape greets the eye.
By morning, the storm has blown through and a hush has settled over our world.
The sky has brightened and the trees are sparkling in the light of the rising sun.
It’s time to crank up the snow thrower and start shoveling out.
Then, we can play!
