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Winter
Frank Hall

Suddenly, or so it seems,
Snow, or the threat of a storm --
Winter sleep…
Then waking to see the new snow
Fresh, clean, marveling at the whitewashed world; the snow
Covering everything, painting bare brown branches
Evergreens etched in white
Earth, with a soft, silent winter blanket.
Winter coat, woolen hat, gloves and scarf
Bundled up to go out into the crisp winter air
Walking along the wind-whipped shore – brisk and bracing
Sounds of gulls crying, waiting for low tide
Scavenging for clams, crabs and mussels –
Meals fit for a king.
Then, home again, glad to be inside looking out
Sitting with hot chocolate and
The morning paper, with the Sunday book reviews
Delivered on Saturday, listing the ten-best-books of the year,
Ten sure-fire Christmas gifts.
And some smiles with this week’s New Yorker cartoons
And memories of other winters, other storms,
Aware of the long winter sleep to come.

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