# The Beauty of Snow



## Snowball13 (Feb 20, 2013)

First version
Little cotton pieces falling from the sky;
Tumbling in the wind, slowly flying by.
A sheath of white on anything
Is what these little pieces bring.
The smell of frosted water,
is snowfall's playful daughter.


And vulgar eyes
Might tell us lies, 
Because they don't know
The Beauty of Snow.

(I just love snow)




Edited version
Little cotton pieces falling from the sky;
Tumbling in the wind, slowly flying by.
Soon gathering in piles all around;
Gently settling without a sound.


A sheath of white on anything
Is what these little pieces bring.
Same old world - brand new air;
All at once, dull things glare.
Subdued noise and muffled steps,
A white murmur fills the gaps.
Some can even smell the frosted water;
It is snowfall's shy but playful daughter.


And vulgar eyes
Might tell us lies.
But don't you listen!
Let your eyes glisten
In this pretty sight
Of perfect white.
For they don't know
The Beauty of Snow.

(I just love snow)


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## Blade (Feb 20, 2013)

I find this a lovely little piece as it really catches the sense of snow majesty.

Lines five and six make no sense whatsoever but works great.

The last line "(I just love snow (not part of the poem)) could be shortened to "I just love snow.:grin:


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## starchild (Feb 20, 2013)

I quite enjoyed this poem! I could picture the images very well.


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## Snowball13 (Feb 20, 2013)

Thank you so much, Blade and starchild!



Blade said:


> Lines five and six make no sense whatsoever but work great.
> 
> The last line "(I just love snow (not part of the poem)) could be shortened to "I just love snow.:grin:


I guess I must be a really weird person, because I seem to be only one who can actually smell snow and loves it! That's what line five and six are about; the scent of fresh snow.
And are you suggesting that I make "I just love snow" part of the poem?
(Sorry if I don't get a joke here but I'm not a Native English speaker after all (always a good excuse :-D))


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## arkayye (Feb 21, 2013)

I too, love the snow! The sudden shift in tone & image in the last stanza kind of took off the edge of the lilting feel, I hope that was the intention. Because the the dramatic tension of the vulgar intrusion did intrude on the blissful joy that was building up in the previous stanza. Not a bad thing. But I hope you are aware of that, or better yet, that it was intentional. Thanks for sharing.


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## Snowball13 (Feb 21, 2013)

arkayye said:


> I too, love the snow! The sudden shift in tone & image in the last stanza kind of took off the edge of the lilting feel, I hope that was the intention. Because the the dramatic tension of the vulgar intrusion did intrude on the blissful joy that was building up in the previous stanza. Not a bad thing. But I hope you are aware of that, or better yet, that it was intentional. Thanks for sharing.


Perhaps it was not consciously intentional, but I'm okay with it. Because that's how it always is when I hear someone say they hate snow... I'm all shocked and deeply disturbed. Like a little kid's that learns Santa Claus isn't real. :-D


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## Vitaly Ana (Feb 21, 2013)

Liked this one a lot!

Something about the meter in the last two lines threw me though:

_Because they don't know
The Beauty of Snow.

_Overall - nice read and thanks for sharing!!  
:kiwi-fruit:


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## arkayye (Feb 21, 2013)

Snowball13 said:


> Perhaps it was not consciously intentional, but I'm okay with it. Because that's how it always is when I hear someone say they hate snow... I'm all shocked and deeply disturbed. Like a little kid's that learns Santa Claus isn't real. :-D



Sweet. That's perfect. Thanks for 'making a stand' for lovers of snow. Cheers.

.


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## Lewdog (Feb 21, 2013)

Think of the number of snowflakes that have fallen over the life time of the planet Earth.  Now take into account that scientist say that every snow flake is unique, and that there are absolutely no two that are alike.  I would have to believe if there would ever be some item that could be counted and reach the closest practical amount to the symbol infinity, this would have to be it.


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## Atbash (Feb 21, 2013)

This poem was very enjoyable. let it snow.:santa:


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## Blade (Feb 22, 2013)

Snowball13 said:


> Thank you so much, Blade and starchild!
> 
> 
> I guess I must be a really weird person, because I seem to be only one who can actually smell snow and loves it! That's what line five and six are about; the scent of fresh snow.
> ...



In Canada snow is considered to be frozen water and does not have a smell but have it your way.

I think you could leave "I just love snow" is as it matches the spirit of the piece but its optional. 

Also there are many people who speak and write English as a second language that are better at it than many who speak it as a first language.:applause:


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## Snowball13 (Feb 23, 2013)

Lewdog said:


> Think of the number of snowflakes that have fallen over the life time of the planet Earth. Now take into account that scientist say that every snow flake is unique, and that there are absolutely no two that are alike. I would have to believe if there would ever be some item that could be counted and reach the closest practical amount to the symbol infinity, this would have to be it.


Something to think about :-D



Atbash said:


> This poem was very enjoyable. let it snow.:santa:


Thank you and yes!




Blade said:


> In Canada snow is considered to be frozen water and does not have a smell but have it your way.
> 
> I think you could leave "I just love snow" is as it matches the spirit of the piece but its optional.
> 
> Also there are many people who speak and write English as a second language that are better at it than many who speak it as a first language.:applause:


It's probably not actually the snow that I smell, but I can smell something. Call me crazy.
And the last part is true, but who's to say I'm one of them? ;-)


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## Segrotlo (Feb 23, 2013)

If you were so inclined to, I would suggest that you add to it.  I don't doubt you could tell more about snow.  The second stanza made sense but it could have used more elaboration.  

More, more, more... give me more.   lol

As for the smell, it is most likely the cleansing of the air - and hence, it smells fresh all around - I suppose.

Good job 

[more]


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## PiP (Feb 23, 2013)

Snowball13 said:


> Thank you so much, Blade and starchild!
> 
> 
> I guess I must be a really weird person, because I seem to be only one who can actually smell snow and loves it!


Before moving to Portugal I could smell snow in the air before it snowed. I'm also weird  and I adore the snow. Watching as it falls and then building snowmen. Loved the first verse, but did not quite understand the second - however, I'm still experimenting and learning. Reading lots of the poems people share here is really useful!


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## Hemlock (Feb 23, 2013)

This made me badly wish that my country had snow. :-\"


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## PiP (Feb 23, 2013)

Hemlock said:


> This made me badly wish that my country had snow. :-\"



I miss the snow and reading snowball's poem made me pause to reflect...


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## Hemlock (Feb 23, 2013)

I just found an alternative. I'm using the refrigerator tonight.


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## Snowball13 (Feb 23, 2013)

@Segrotlo: You know what? I'll expand it. Just for you. ;-)



pigletinportugal said:


> Before moving to Portugal I could smell snow in the air before it snowed. I'm also weird  and I adore the snow. Watching as it falls and then building snowmen. Loved the first verse, but did not quite understand the second - however, I'm still experimenting and learning. Reading lots of the poems people share here is really useful!



Yay, let's be weird together! ;-) And don't worry; I don't get a lot of stuff in poems either. But reading and writing sure does help.


Hemlock said:


> This made me badly wish that my country had snow. :-\"


I'm deeply sorry. But climate change might change that for you...


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## Segrotlo (Feb 23, 2013)

> You know what? I'll expand it. Just for you.


It can only be good.


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## Snowball13 (Feb 23, 2013)

There you go.
But somehow I feel like now the much-disputed lines about the smell just sit there all by themselves, completely unintegrated...
Oh well, decide for yourself.


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## Hemlock (Feb 23, 2013)

It's good as it is. Even children can easily recite and remember it.:santa:


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## Segrotlo (Feb 23, 2013)

Okay - Now you hit the snowball out of the park!

That revision made it better.  Good job.

You can break it into four line stanzas.



> The smell of frosted water
> is snowfall's playful daughter.



Maybe: 
Some can smell the frosted water 
It is snowfall's playful daughter.

That softens the 'controversy' of it "defiantly having a smell" to a matter of opinion.

Either way I don't think that line hurts it or is even out of place.


Thanks for the notice about the updated version.


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## Blade (Feb 24, 2013)

Snowball13 said:


> It's probably not actually the snow that I smell, but I can sm
> ell something. Call me crazy.
> And the last part is true, but who's to say I'm one of them? ;-)



Joseph Conrad, generally considered a master of the English language, had Polish as a mother language. Stick with it.:adoration:


Segrotlo said:


> As for the smell, it is most likely the cleansing of the air - and hence, it smells fresh all around - I suppose.
> 
> Good job
> 
> [more]



I can buy that part. I think snow like to involve all the senses some how.:smile:


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