“Pine Trees and Snow” by Joy Nichols

(After Wordsworth’s “Splendour in the Grass”)

spring delayed

suits my mood

not yet ready

to take on

renewal

too old

too depleted

to face

starting over

but not even

stubborn old men

can intimidate time

spring will come

change the winter

to water

send it running

down cheeks

of my mountain

swelling streams

of my years

adding rush

to the rapids

of rivers

en route to

oblivious seas

an unstoppable flow

under force of

ambivalent gravity

pulling on me

taking with it

the stones

of my yesterdays

life as I lived it

my season

of splendor

at one with

immaculate

pine scented snow