Frozen In Time Poem by Deanna Samuels

Snow and ice-rain fell that early morn
Into the day it rarely paused
Relief mid-day followed by sheets of freezing rain
Covering over every exposed surface seen

Nothing was left untouched
Temperature fell lower, a thick coat of ice formed
Tree boughs weighted down
Wires and cables overhead sagged and snapped

Roads converted into skating alleys
Pathways a treacherous hazard
Salting trucks came out in full force
Spewing out their small crystal salt rocks

Evening came, another spate of icy rain
Enveloping all within its fall
Vehicles dripped with hanging icicle shards
Side streets and pathways almost impassible

The night came over, homes lost power
Dawn breaks; a scene like no other to behold
A landscape frozen in time
No movement of nature or animal life

Foliage, tall or small encased in thick coat of ice
Tree limbs stiff without movement
A brisk breeze blew through but not a waver
Boughs and branches still as if held down by chains

The naked bark heightened in eerie outline
Shimmering, stretching to the very twig ends
While drooping lower, unnaturally burdened
With heavy layer of frosty snow gleam

The general scene fared no better
Grass verges and parklands appeared as ice rinks
Covered over with sheets of thick lumpy ice
From freezing and thawing and freezing over again

Overhead telephone and electrical cables sheathed
Sagging very low with weight of icy burden
Bus shelters, lamp posts, traffic lights, benches
Garbage bins, mail boxes, all heavily encrusted
Main roads were cleared, icy slush piled up along curb edge
Pathways cleaned and made safe to walk upon
That sets the scene till late afternoon; slight thaw occurs
Ice melts from overhead wires, large drips fall on heads and cars

Encased trees and bushes weep, trickles down to roots below
Quickly those tears re-freeze when reaching iced sheet beneath
The evening slowly darkened into night
Temperature fell, foliage again becomes encased, frozen in time

A new dawn; the morning scene is much as day before
But alas, passing by the woodland trails - a sorry sight
Snapped and fallen misshapen splintered trees
Not able to withstand the brutal ice-rain of day before

There too, another uncanny look about the frozen scene
The foliage appeared as covered in a coat of frosted icing
With a generous garnish of sprinkled fine sifted sugar
The morning remained cold and the icy wind blew

Afternoon came; temperatures rose; sun appeared and shone
There was a slow thaw, drips fell on roads and paths below
A theatre show to see; three hours went by, came out - behold
Frost and ice had melted away, foliage no longer frozen in time

(Penned at Richmond Hill, Ontario - 24th - 26th March 2016)