Tonight
Tonight the air feels painful with cold.
Famish bites badger and vole, land's
glassy claws attack foraging meadows
as savage wind gnaws with icy talons.
Tonight each root hugs hidden growth.
Freeze keeps mole and shrew fastened
in hole as shudder grips earth and foal
legs sway under mare's frozen hackles.
Tonight no stars glint from ebony sky.
Creatures cower in hunger's readiness
as chill clasps feather and fur with icy
fingers and empty mouths stay unfed.
Tonight the field has frost-bitten hands.
Fox-hunt fails in foodless stumble when
iced are burrows while rabbit shambles
in ravenous daze from nourishless den.
Tonight the ether glitters with danger.
Small beings who face trials of winter
will at least find, thru' autumn's grace
warmth in my heaps of dried leaf-litter.
-
Author:
Fay Slimm. (
Offline) - Published: February 1st, 2019 06:29
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 79
- Users favorite of this poem: Laura🌻, Joseph M Marion
Offline)
Comments8
MY APOLOGIES FOR THE AWFUL MISALIGNMENT OF THIS PIECE - I CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT THE USE OF EDIT AT THE MOMENT SO HAVE REPORTED IT TO MANAGEMENT - -HOPE THEY CAN SOLVE MY PROBLEM SOON.
A fine write Fay. About six months ago we were sweating in a heatwave! Shall we all dash to NZ, as in Brian & Angela's poem? Me good deed? I spotted a big friendly tom cat that roams around. I called it indoors, dried the snow from off it, and it stayed on me bed a couple of hours.
Wish we could have a bit of NZ weather right now Orchi - - brrr ! - - thanks for the lovely share of a good deep to a snowy tom cat.......... it will no doubt not forget your warm kindness.
My Dear Fay,
Regardless of the ‘misalignment’ as you say, this write is spot on!
As the song goes...
“Baby it’s cold outside”...
Your sentiments, however, are full of warmth, love and caring for nature’s wonderful creatures.
Unfortunately, they have to withstand these sub freezing conditions in many parts of the world! (-17C in NY last night.) We’re ok in our heated homes. They’re on their own to weather this weather! I feel sadness for those who are helpless and can’t survive!
Thank you for sharing!
~Laura~
Yes dear Laura - the wild creatures have to take chances of weather improvement and some of course survive - - pity the humans and animals however in -17C - - oh my ! - what a challenge are those conditions for NY right now........... hugs and thank you for sharing this comment - - Fay
It was a challenge for two days...
especially for those who have no heat for various reasons. For example, my aunt’s neighbor’s heating system broke down! We managed to help her!
Today’s temp is a 10C...a heatwave 😂compared to last week!
I always feel more at one with the world after reading your poems!
Thank you fay 😌
What a kind and encouraging thing to say dear Sylvia - tons of thanks for this lovely comment.
I can forgive anything when it comes to your work - the words will always shine through.
You are so kind Michael in your visits and comments on my poetic efforts -- have a warm weekend despite winter's attempts to freeze even the southern-most corners of our fair land.
'In the bleak mid winter' as the old hymn has it.
Many little creatures will not survive but it is amazing that most do, and we call these wonderful creatures 'pest'.
Your words enhance the shudder brought on with this current freeze up.
Thanks a load for your visit and comment and yes it is amazing how small creatures get through a spell of deep freeze -- roll on milder weather again.
This was great it gave me chills I love reading your work
Sincere thanks to you Joseph for both your visit and comment on my efforts to describe how winter affects the lives of small creatures - - humans of course too are facing its challenge in places like New York at this moment with 17C to cope with - - bbbrrr - - roll on the days when I can post about Spring and its welcome warmth eh?
that would have been a little spring in the middle of winter already with the temperatures going and bouncing at 60° in one way or another but soon spring will come and we'll find more inspiration to write of
a brilliant poem Fay.. you just raised the bar by quite a bit, I can tell ya...
so very atmospheric.. cold as perma frost and then some.. oh' how I feel for all our wildlife and fauna during these cold spells.... Neville
A load of thanks for your continual support of the subjects I feel most about Neville - - the challenge to wild life in severe winters must bring them to near starvation yet some survive and deserve our tributes.
absolutely..... N
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