WINTER

Standing in the hushed silence
Breath pluming in the frost filled air
Beneath the deep velvet blue of the night sky
Broken only by the myriad of glistening stars
My futile thoughts are lost in its enormity
I’m suddenly startled by my own insignificance
I feel alone, hopeless and helpless
A bitter chill touches my bones
I walk on over the linen shrouded land
Footsteps treading crisply in the white
My breath still plumes though less so
The velvet curtain of night has gone
Hidden behind grey brown clouds
Then the cold frosty night was no more
As the wind freshens against my cheek
And in that instant fresh snow falls
Seemingly silencing my footfalls
Large soft flakes drifting haphazardly
Like confetti on a wedding day
Or cherry blossom in springtime
It fell faster, then faster still
Quickly obscuring my footprints
And blinding my view, disorienting
A bitter chill again touched my bones
The wind now stung my face with snow
As the blizzard of bridle white blew
I bent into the northerly gale
Head down eyes narrowed almost closed
I stopped briefly to catch my breath
Insignificance washed over me again
I knew I must go north into the mouth of it
The silent hush was no more as the blizzard blew
My feet no longer crunched on frost and ice
The deepening snow slowing my progress
Each step I must drag my feet from the snows grip
With each step I grow wearier
Feeling hopeless and helpless
Alone, insignificant and small,
Smaller than a single snow flake
Smaller than the snowflakes around me
A bitter chill again touched my bones
Then suddenly I am again filled with hope
As I pass between the old wrought iron gates
Into the city street beyond and home