transformed within the snow
today I woke to a light snow
that persisted all day,
the temperature hovering near freezing
so that ground, pavement, and rock
have resisted the whitening,
a whitening that holds to branches as if each is thickly iced,
and heavily drapes itself over rhododendron leaves,
transforming them into soft white curves
that flow into each other,
the creek clear in pool and bubbly in rapids
yet pales in comparison,
the green of the moss intimidated
by the glaring purity of the snow,
I hike miles up and down the valley in the light snow,
exploring the moods the valley wears in this late fall snow,
my camera particularly drawn to leaves
still full of color, not yet brown,
which remember red and yellow while they still can,
draped in white as if to set off the flare
that such as the maple shout at winter’s coming,
my body needed the exercise,
and I feel a profound thankfulness
that it still can carry me on such an adventure,
my soul needed the adventure just as much,
a recreation that can recreate who I am,
the well refilling before I draw from it again,
e mail is a tether that reminds me
that my school world continues, and will need me soon,
I hope I am going to be better at taking care of others
since I am up here for a while,
taking care of my self.
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| Mt. LeConte, Cabin is at lower left of picture |
by Henry H. Walker
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