A Melt Came Quickly Poem by Deanna Samuels

Quickly, most of the snow had gone.
Surprisingly, it didn't take long to melt
as expected it would, as was
heaped up four or five feet, even more,
only a few weeks ago.
It became solid ice along the curbsides,
not the soft fluffy snow as when first fell,
that glistening snow to lie in,
make indented snow angels upon.
Not able to walk straight across roads,
curbs piled up too high to climb over,
needed to walk many extra steps
and cross at traffic lights or a corner.

For weeks it was the scene,
snow covered everywhere,
lawns, fields, front yards,
roofs, minor roads and paths.
Each time fresh snow fell,
snowplows came by with their low
blades afront clearing huge drifts,
taking care of main arteries first,
continuing on to major and local roads next.
Walkways were cleared using narrow
path plows as best as weather allowed,
ever succumbing to fresh layers of snow
which became ever messier and slippier.

About a week ago, there was a let up.
Temperatures rose, rain was in the air,
ice and snow gradually gave up their grip
with a slow melt; brown, tired grass appeared,
tree roots became uncovered,
lawns and verges emerged
as curb ice piles disintegrated.
Country snowscape began melting,
last year's corn stubs and barren shrubs seen.
Winter has finally submitted,
giving up its frozen grip.


16th/17th March 2026

But wait! It seems not quite yet.
Winter has us all fooled, taken off guard.
During the evening and overnight, snow,
freezing winds and Arctic blizzard swooped in.
Treacherous conditions completely prevailed,
making surfaces all the more dangerous
as temperatures dipped to an extreme cold.
As the new morrow broke,
the wider scene once more - white all over
and once again,
snowplows came out to do their thing,
clearing the roads for another commuting day.

Winter it seems, has not yielded -

Not yet.


Written along the 407 going into town16th March 2026 and completed at Richmond Hill on 17th March 2026.