Snowfall (Poetry)

Night hides the view, while by some shady sleight of hand
snow changes every well-known shape about the land.
It evens out — each dip on the horizon’s rim
smoothed over ’til we can’t be sure of anything...
Familiar contours buried under miles of white
perception dazzled by the quality of light.

Snow alters silhouettes— carves out its own design.
It covers imperfections, lends its crystal shine
to shabbiness — treats palaces and slums the same.
Snow has no favourites — Winter plays a guessing game
of freeze or thaw. The drifts have secrets cold will keep
and locks the earth beneath a trance-like spell of sleep.

One inch or ten — the overall effect transcends
the everyday. An otherworldly magic blends
a timeless scene where watercolour’s painted thin
the hills and valleys wear a freshly-fallen skin.
Dream-haunted acres, hushed and chill, spread undisturbed —
untrodden — not one track — no sign of beast or bird.