The Definition of Snow
dedicated to Laura Reid

Snow
Flakes of the clouds,
Crystals of heaven.
A snowflake is a kiss
it's beautiful
cold
yet refreshing.
It's soft, peaceful
and quiet
A tree's wedding dress, a blanket for the ground.

Snow is harsh, angry
Its wrath covers the ground
Snow must be shoveled
Must be plowed
Must be hated
by drivers and loved
by their children

It is for play:
To make men
with sticks and carrots
To build forts
It is for angels.
Snow must be skied on
And rolled in
And tobogganed down
And walked through
And thrown
It is to be admired
And to land on the tips of tongues.

Isn't it amazing
how the flake dissolves
on your tongue?!
It's there for an instant
But gone the next.

Defining snow is like
Catching the wind
It can't be done

-Ben Ankenmann