The Avalanche Poem by Raymond Farrell

When the end came
The air was crisp and cold
All up the mountain side
The snow glittered in the sun
Birds sang cheerily in the pines
It was a picture perfect day
As good as any
Portrayed on a post card
Far up the slope
A faint sound hinted
But not too clearly
Something might be wrong
No one hiking up the slope
Took any notice
And then the snow
Seemed to release its grip
From the stone and earth beneath
And came cascading down
All were buried by it
None could dig themselves out
Too much, too fast
Without sufficient warning
That is what happened.