The Beast From The East Poem by Angela Wybrow

From the East, the Beast, he came forth,
And covered the UK, from the South to the North,
With layer upon layer of thick snow and ice,
Which gripped the nation like the jaws of a vice.

By the Beast, many problems were posed:
Roads became blocked and water pipes froze;
Milk and bread were in short supply;
Wild birds found it tough getting by.

Parcels and letters remained undelivered,
As, day after day, the whole nation shivered.
Events were cancelled; flights were delayed;
Folk were frustrated; tempers were frayed.

Gritting lorries, with their amber lights flashing,
Along the main roads, went tirelessly dashing.
Shops shut early or stayed closed all day;
For the Beast to leave, many folk prayed.

During the days of the big freeze,
Temperatures dipped to minus degrees,
The wind was relentless: it chilled to the bone,
And, if they could, many people stayed home.

Familiar landscapes were transformed overnight:
A nightmare for adults, but a child's delight.
Schools were shut, and so outside children played:
Flying downhill on sledges and many snowmen were made.

The nation, however, all pooled together,
Helping each other through the terrible weather.
Thoughtful neighbours showed much concern
Towards the elderly and the infirm.

Just when folk thought that he'd gone for good,
He returned to wreak havoc on their neighbourhood.
After some weeks, he decided to leave,
And the nation, once more, was able to breathe.