Post-weekend Poetry 053: Snow Drift by Ruth Holroyd

Happy Christmas Eve and welcome to Post-weekend Poetry and the fifty-third poem in this series. This week’s piece is by poet and short story author Ruth Holroyd.

Snow drift (c) Ruth Holroyd, Jan 2010

I must go out in the snow again, to the lonely snow and the sky

And all I ask is a clear day and the moon to steer her by

And the rope’s kick and wind’s song and the white branches shaking

And the pale mist on the white face and the grey dawn breaking

I must go out in the snow again, for the call of the dogs and sleigh

Is a wild call and clear call and has to be obeyed;

And all I ask is a bright day with the white clouds pouring,

And the whipped flakes and the blown drifts and the red kits soaring

I must go out in the snow again, to the frigid icy life

To the fox’s way and the bear’s way – the sleet cuts like a sharpened knife

And all I ask is a greeted call and cheerful soul when meeting

And a deep sleep and a sweet dream when my heart has slowed its beating

***

I asked Ruth what prompted this piece and he/she said that it was inspired by Sea Fever by John Masefield

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by

And the wheel’s kick and wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,

And the grey mist on the sea’s face and the grey dawn breaking

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

and the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull’s way and whale’s way where the wind’s life a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over

***

Thank you, Ruth. It was delightful.

Ruth works as a freelance copywriter and marketing communications professional in Buckinghamshire. She writes company case studies and copy edits brochures and websites. She also writes regular articles and features about living with allergies and food intolerances. Her allergy blog, www.whatallergy.com, was voted in the top 5 allergy blogs in the UK in 2011 and she is one of the guest judges at the Free From Food Awards 2012. You can read some more of her writing here.

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