The Silence of Winter

There's  deer in my backyard...they're cement you know.
They lay in the thicket, just there for show.
Trees line the river, their branches a'tangle,
They look knotted and gnarled from every angle.
Dead in their silence, no rustling of leaves,
Mourning the loss of summer's soft breeze.

A sky often gray adds to this scene,
The frozen river looks quiet...serene.
Yet woodland critters flitter 'n scurry,
Too cold to dawdle they scamper 'n hurry.
 
"The dead of winter"; first month of the year,
Frozen and silent...dreadfully drear.
It settles in bones and reddens the nose,
Nips at the fingers and bites at the toes.

Its starkness assaults us and it's hard to remember,
The warmth and beauty of last September.
Or the heat of summer, the beauty of flowers,
Or basking in sunshine 'til the very late hours.

Oh winter darkness you're ever so long...
Silence, yes silence is your only song.
It creeps in my windows to dance with the lights,
Whispers of winter's long quiet nights.

But old man winter, you can't fool me!
Not with your cold or the leafless tree.
Not with winds that howl, nor icy river flow,
Nor darkening skies that bring the fury of snow.

I follow your pattern for I know it tis true,
In God's silent season, it's a time to renew.
Oh winter your beauty in silence lies,
And can only be seen with the heart, not the eyes.

With hope in our hearts like seeds under the snow,
Spring will arrive and those seeds they will grow.
God in His wisdom knows what is best,
We all need winter, our bodies to rest.

Winter, oh winter your days will grow longer,
Skies will grow brighter and the sun grow stronger.
Then outside my window things will slowly turn green
And evidence of you will leave the scene.

But for now I embrace you, life's as it should be,
Silent and peaceful and healing for me.

And when winter's over with the awakening of spring,
When life stirs again with birds on the wing,
bursting with song and all a'twitter,
chasing off snows and winds that are bitter;
When daffodils and jonquils burst through the ground,
When silence is broken with life's newborn sound,
When the spring rains come and the river flows,
When buds are a'bursting and green things grows,
When evening lingers with late setting sun
And then I will know...

Winter is done.


copyright
~blbadgley~
 01/21/10