Tuesday Poem: “Snow Country”
Being
in snow country,
grey sky pressing in
as the flakes swirl – touch
chill fingers
against the face, drift
onto grey-green sea
and vanish …
… a shag arrows
across the harbour, straight
into the southerly blast:
living, dying,
being here …
.
(c) Helen Lowe
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This is an old poem, first written when I lived at Portobello, on Otago Peninsular—but reworked yesterday because we, like much of the country, were in snow country. And here’s some photos, too …
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To read the featured poem on the Tuesday Poem Hub and other great poems from fellow Tuesday poets around the world, click here or on the Quill icon in the sidebar.
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And this month’s ” … on Anything, Really” feature is “Fun With Thornspell.” You can find out more here and here.
Looks amazing! And soooooo cold!
And your poem is perfect – it reminds me of watching the snow yesterday, and a seagull having a very hard time 🙂
Definitely very cold! And speaking of seagulls—I threw out some bread crusts onto the snow and the next time I looked 5 seagulls had arrived and were scoffing them down. As gulls are not our usual run of bird visitor I’m figuring that it’s slim pickings on the coast, too, at present.
Btw, your editorial selection on the Tuesday Poem Hub for this week is a wonderful choice. I loved it.
Stay warm!
Rumors of snow here – only had sleet where we are.
“Rumours of snow …” That’s almost a poem in itself, Jan.:)
That’s a lovely evocation of the snow-filled world, Helen. In our case, though I feel for the birds, I was most taken with our cat when the snow began to settle in Mt Victoria – something it has not done in the 18 years I have lived there. The cat sat outside for a while, not quite sure what to do about this white stuff settling on her fur, then came inside and behaved in a very accusing way towards me for the rest of the day.
Tim, our cat has also been most reluctant to venture out—hugging the heater has been his forte these past few days! But despite the cold and inconvenience, there is still something magical about snow (so long as the power stays on …)
It looks soooo beautiful 🙂 I have a terrible case of snow envy as I sit here in Melbourne under a beautiful blue sky. Oh, it’s gray now. It was blue five minutes ago.
Funnily enough, I recall quite a few grey days from my time in Melbourne last year. I still thought it was wonderful though.
so odd looking at your snow pictures when my kids are heading to the pool . The heat wave in our area broke and it is getting into the 60’s at night! I can’t wait for Fall to get here.
“I know”! It’s that whole ‘far side of the world thing’—but knowing the contrast is there is fun, too! 🙂
It’s supposed to be 35°C here next week. I’d like some of that snow instead. 🙂
Gabriele, I would love to send you some but it is all gone now except for a few very small patches. You will have to read something like Le Guin’s “The Left Hand of Darkness” or Joan Vinge’s “The Snow Queen” to get in the ‘cool world’ mode!