Dónall Dempsey - Snowstorms(for Junie)

It was the most magical thing
I’d ever seen

a winter scene
with a stumpy little snowman
leaning on a broom

and snow coloured trees.

The snowman was always smiling.

Then the world shock
and turned upside down

and the blizzard began again.

Snowflakes falling in
slow motion.

I wanted them to fall forever.

My sister smiling at
my: “Again...again! ”

turned the little glass world
upside down

and once again the snowflakes fell
so slowly suspended in time.


I smiled at the snowman smiling.
My sister smiled at me.



I would spend time after time
forever after

playing with
suspended Time

stopping the world
to begin it again.

One day it fell
(shattered)
and spilled out

all across the lace table cloth
lapping at the evil smelling geraniums.

The snowman was plastic
(and the snow was plastic too) .

Time poured itself out to
the edge of the table