Greetings, Poetry Lovers - I've missed you! Happy 2025!! We were away for two and a half weeks, from before Christmas til after New Year's, happily on grandparent duty. Our wee laddie grandboy Sawyer (2 1/2) now has a beautiful baby sister, Ellie Grace. Everyone is doing great.
Though I usually enjoy participating in the holiday poem swap organized by our wonderful Tabatha, this year (with the baby due date in December and the usual Etsy orders flurry right before Christmas), I told Tabatha I'd have to take a pass. I didn't realize she'd keep my name in the bin for someone who might want to send something to those who couldn't reciprocate.
Before we left on our trip, I got a wonderful surprise package from Maine - from Donna JT Smith. Not only was there a lovely card, but she had sent the fun painting and poem above and a lovely gold necklace featuring three charms: a heart, a butterfly, and a little tag with a cut-out star reading "MIRACLE." I wore that necklace every day for a week, I guess - before Ellie Grace was born and for several days after. (You can see it in the photo above.) I emailed Donna with thanks for her kindness, and told her the gift was so meaningful as both of these babies are miracle IVF babies!
This is my first Poetry Friday back home, and the "Snow Fellows" poem Donna sent is perfect for it. As I tap out these words on Thursday, we're under a winter storm warning starting first thing Friday morning. (So if I don't respond to comments, our power might be out!) We're expecting some heavy snow and then ice and other frozen mixes later. Schools and such are closed. I'm anxious to see what our cold-weather-loving, 42-pounds-of-fluff Rookie thinks of the snow.
Snow Fellows
Snowy fellows in the yard, stand so staid and fast
till down the slope the sunlight slips, and it is dark at last.
Then is when the party starts, when dark and cold are most.
No campfire's lit, no hot dogs, no marshmallows to roast.
But,
there are some luscious slushies, snowy cones and icy treats,
just the sort of healthy foods a snowman needs to eat!
There are games galore for fun in snow, like sledding, skating,
skiing;
and if they want another friend, they roll a new snowbeing!
The party ends just when the sky starts lifting up the sun.
Returning to their old rolled spots, their twinkling eyes are done.
You may not ever see them dance, nor ever hear them sing,
but look someday, 'round where they've stood -
Hmmm - footprints in a ring!
©Donna JT Smith
I love "snowbeing" - ha!
While we are anticpating snow, I want to send light and love and prayers to everyone living through the horrific wildfire situation in Los Angeles. My bother-in-law and his family are all in the area. They are okay and the kids evacuated the city, but it's hard to try to comprehend so much loss and on such a scale.
It's "reigning" cats and dogs at Kat's Whiskers, where Kat kindly has the Roundup!