Winter Reprise

I heard the birds sing

outside my window

taunted back by the early thaw

But the wind blows now

and the snow and ice

and biting chill of life

are back

I can hear it in their voices

and in my own

I had sworn off winter cloaks

promised myself a lighter load

And this second time around

I see it all

the now

the then

I mourn for the birds

and I realize

I can weather this storm

one last round

before the spring

Comments: 18

Priya P. Mar 26, 2011, 9:16am UTC

Good morning Gretchen, this was really nice. Spring is here now and the birds are singing again :)

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Robert - just a simple man - B. Mar 26, 2011, 10:40am UTC

Good Morning; I don't think the "biting chill of life" ever goes away permanently and it can linger in any season. I like your poem.

And, ironically I woke at 3am and had my own 'now and then' music:
waking at 3 a.m.

:+)

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A. F. Stewart Mar 26, 2011, 10:43am UTC

A lovely bit of poetry.

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Patricia J. Mar 26, 2011, 11:09am UTC

A wonderful poem, Gretchen. We still have too much snow for spring to actually begin. But the sun comes out for longer each day!

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Ann Marcaida Mar 26, 2011, 11:33am UTC

You did a really good job with your short line breaks, something I don't see often on Gather. Thanks for giving voice to those of us in the north!

Thanks for sharing with Gather's Best Writers and Artists. Now featured.

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Mary M. Mar 26, 2011, 1:56pm UTC

Very nice work.

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Franklin Newman Mar 26, 2011, 5:36pm UTC

Very, very rueful. Which makes it excellent.

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stephen berwaldt Mar 26, 2011, 8:48pm UTC

Here comes the snow again
just when I was gettin' over you
just when I was gettin' through
another night without missing you

Jackson Browne

I liked this poem...all about the beauty and the ugliness of March...it won't be too long 'til we are complaining about the heat...

Now featured in the Triple Name Club.

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Carl Lee Mar 26, 2011, 9:26pm UTC

Lovely. You didn't say why this would be your last post for awhile. If you return to read the comments, do tell.

Gretchen Lee Bourquin Mar 27, 2011, 5:28am UTC

It's a matter of economics, mostly. The time and energy I spend on Gather to earn 5 points can earn me $5 somewhere else. So I need to walk away until I can truly look at Gather as being not about the money, then maybe I can scale back to just creative stuff and donate points at the holidays