It’s been an especially hot summer this year, 2023.
Blame it on Climate Change or even, perhaps,
That far-off underwater volcano in the Pacific.
Add in those pesky siblings, El Nino and La Nina.
Who knows when the weather will normalize?
I’m certain I don’t know (in the voice of Laurel and Hardy)
But the key is, and should always remain,
We can scope the high country for the hope of winter.
Snow, let it snow. Please snow soon.
Headlines are screaming, and Resorts are claiming.
The right to declare a finding
They dib the first call of Snow.
I dug through my past writing
And I found this prose from a previous year.
I hope it keeps you looking forward.
Snow will soon be here.
Can AI write it better?
Here is Bing’s try. Not Bad…
What about you?
What does snow mean to you?
The Purpose of Snow
When the snow begins to fall and stays,
Suddenly, you are covered in bliss and white
Soft falling, slushy and wet, or even as a pellet
Snow! We cry out! I’ve missed you! Please Stay!
The deeper, the better, or as some will say
At least enough to enjoy hours and days of play
Whether by machine, sled, or tube, sliding down the surface on
A hilly terrain is pure fun and joy. Oh, please, never go away.
When you live in the mountains,
And lakes are where you find your supply,
Falling snow becomes your summer water source.
The more, the merrier when the heat of summer arrives.
Local meteorologists will note
The height of the snowpack hanging up high
The more you have, the better the reservoirs are filled
To solve the need for water when it’s dry.
Snow blankets the earth. The more, the better
As a warming presence to keep the ground from freezing
And all the underground pipes and tender growth
It protects what we cannot see.
Eventually, snow makes a tattered exit.
Some are ecstatic, while others slowly adapt to the change.
Melting snow leaves behind an ugly scene.
Mashed grass and shrubbery, oh, that’s where it’s been!
Into the Spring and Summer
Suddenly, you notice the colors. That’s when you understand.
Some don’t enjoy the cold, dark, and wet seasons.
To produce ardent green in Summer, we must have snow!
That is the purpose of snow in Winter.
~Michael Gurley (December 1, 2022)
Thank you for reading.
Please share with others.
It helps me get my book written!