Hope against hope

Yes I feel the cold
           on my cheeks
my feet are frozen
           inside my boots
and though wrapped up
           as well as I can be
I am still slightly
           shivering

But this winter weather
           will soon pass and these days
will be forgotten along with
           all the other days
we have forgotten
           even though there were
some we swore we would
           never forget

The snow lying thickly
           has simplified the landscape
reduced it to its essentials
           trees and houses and roads
and fields with here and there
           a hungry fox in a back garden

But the snow will soon melt
           and the earth once again
will be revealed in all its glory
           and therein lies my hope

John Lyons