Philippa Lane - Blizzard in St. John's

- For Gregory


Winter's final fury
unleashed itself
last night,

Today, St. John's, lies buried
in a blustering blizzard:
yes, winter's final fury
is bestowed this time
on you and yours,
my friend.

As Newfoundlanders
wake today to their cars
all humped in white,
hurricanes howling
through snow-clogged
streets with all their
awful might -
and men, womenfolk
and children
grit their teeth and get
their shovels out...

Here in Montréal,
it is uncharacteristically
balmy and mild
as I start my day
driving on clean
snow-scooped roads,
bright light
exploding
around me,
under sunny, azure skies.

There is no price tag
for the simple joy I felt
this Sunday afternoon;
thinking of your vicious
winter storm,
I said a prayer or two
for you, my friend.

(Transfiguration Sunday,
February 26th,2006)

(Sixty centimeters of snow
fell in St. John's, Newfoundland
on this date)

(Senneville, Québec, Canada)

Philippa Lane

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/blizzard-in-st-john-s/