Blizzard In St. John's Poem by Philippa Lane

Blizzard In St. John's

Rating: 5.0


- 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)

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Sandra Fowler 18 October 2008

What wonderful winter imagery. You write with much emotional depth and feeling. I like what you see from your own personal window on the world. Kind regards, Sandra

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Philippa Lane 22 April 2006

Note: Revised version April 21,2006 Queen Elizabeth II birthday. I took out the stanza re the Olympic win by St. John's Curling team who got gold in Turin.

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Max Reif 02 March 2006

Philippa, my strongest emotional responses were to the description of the blinding light in the snow-scooped roads of Quebec...I know and love such light...and the water kissing you on both cheeks. 'Awake to cars all humped in white' is a good visual, too. My main memory of Canada in the Olympics is from the closing ceremony. I suspect the 'rocks' you mention are people, right? Sincerely, Max

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Philippa Lane

Philippa Lane

Chichester, West Sussex, England
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