Winter

Even Mother Nature Can't Please Everyone

A scant five months ago our final rose
was plucked, another month for husking corn,
and when the first tomato comes, who knows?
The sparrows work their little hearts to death
attempting to find nourishment enough.
Homeowners shovel, watch their frozen breath,
decrying buried cars, then note how tough
it is to navigate on greasy roads--
and glare at those with show-off four wheel drive.
Shed roofs can barely stand their heavy loads.
Some snowblowers are only half alive.

But youngsters five to twelve or maybe more
love forts and secret caves and snowball fights.
They eye their winter sliding things, deplore
those scattered days when spring-like grassy sites
emerge to spoil their fun--and pray for news
of coming storms to close their school up tight,
thus forcing out those blasted homework blues
and giving them a reason for delight.