In the Snow

The chill would burn the skin

and so it would always hurt him

As he slowly got out his bed

He yawned, and put on a coat

He would walk out to his shed

That leaned against the old boat

He grabbed the ax, and recalled

A time when there was cheer

Back when he was so enthralled

with the people he knew here

The kids would come out and play

The stars were clear in the black sky

And he would watch and stay

before he would in the end wander by

each whack against the grain

he would forget each voice

for their voices brought pain

just like the Children's toys

He raised the logs to his shoulder

He would walk back through the bog

He would rest them against the boulder

And himself rest against the logs

Then in the silence he heard a sound

Something he had not heard in years

a singing voice that sung so loud

A sweet voice that almost brought tears

He stood up quickly, and looked

at the woman who sang that song

The woman's face looked quite spooked

so that her voice did not last long

“Who on earth are you?” she exclaimed

The man stood, and did not reply

“I am looking for the old man” She claimed

“The one who looks at the sky”

“I am the one” The man muttered

“Then come with me” she said.

He stepped forth; his heart fluttered

and she lead him past the shed

He stepped into the forest where

It happened so long ago

The sight gave him quite a scare

But she said “Breath slow”

He stopped suddenly in the cold

She looked at him curiously

He suddenly did not feel so bold

She then looked at him seriously

“Come forth, and see they are not dead”

She said with a tone of honesty

“We are all still here far beyond your shed”

She took his hand but he pulled free

“If this is a trick, or a prank” He started

“I assure it is not” She pulled him along

“Then take me there” So they departed

She skipped along, then broke into song

“for we have waited through cold

and then sat in the ashes of our joy

below the sky, so bright and bold

No belongings, not even a child's toy”

The man quickly pulled out an old train

the last toy he had seen in the snow

the item he kept close, despite the pain

so that someone in the world might know

She took the train, a tear came to her eye

“A little girl own this once” She said sadly

“Someone who knit well, for this was mine”

She handed it back, but he gave it gladly

They rounded the corner, and that sound

a sound he had known so long ago

the sound of little voices singing around

the tree that was decorated in snow

“They are alive!” He yelled is great joy,

He rushed forth almost skipping along

She stood there and just clutched her toy

As he pranced around and sang her song

That night he had a home, not far away

Though round the bend, he never knew

that past his night, was a shining day

and a sky not dark and grey but blue

And he sat there drinking his chocolate

As the carolers gathered all around

a child took his mug and drank the last bit

So he sang a sound and made great sound

The chill could burn the skin

but could no longer hurt him