The Blanket of Winter

The Blanket of Winter

By Sandy Chu

Gentle snowflakes, like downy feathers
Drift. Slip down. And fall.
The forest in it’s frozen beauty
The owls-song, the wolf’s mournful call

The scent of pine, dulled by ice
Eyes ever so watchful throughout the wood
Azure skies, blossoming joy
Above the treetops, where gods have stood

Yet another snowflake falls
Plummeting to the earth with heart
Others follow, swirling ‘round
And thus becomes the blizzards start

Winter’s cold and frozen tendrils
Flames of ice, and never fires
Howling winds of glacial fury
Close their eyes, the storm aspires

Caverns of stone, mirrored lakes
Plumes of girdling, smoky breath
The snap of twigs, muffled by snow
Sounding at an unfathomable depth

Warmth beyond the frigid gloom
Flickers of candlelight amidst the white
The march of mourning, tears of dew
A sanctuary, in the veil of night