The First Snow
On a sunset cloud she wandered
She saw, she thought, she pondered
For all who were below
Didn’t seem to know
Where to go or what to do
Yet they hurried, hurried through
On a small and lonely cloud
The little girl wondered aloud
Why these many people could not see
They were surrounded by beauty
So as she floated through the sky
She listened from up on high
And as she stood so very still
A strange song her ears did fill
Laughter, tears, and words unspoken
Silence filled, and left unbroken
Her eyes soon brimmed with tears
As she heard their pains and fears
Then her tears rained on down
Washed and healed the earth they found
She saw and heard as time did fly
Flower, desert, song and sigh
Winter came, all sought the warm
A refuge from her cloud, a storm
So she planted a garden of ice
Of beauty unique, never the same twice
And as each flake drifted down
People stopped and looked around
She saw them smile and laugh from the skies
They saw the beauty and wiped their eyes
She heard them speak, cheer, and sing aloud
As the world around them was made new
And though no one saw, she smiled too
No longer lonely on her cloud
This month, instead of a poem or selection of poems following a specific theme, this poem takes the form of a fictional short story. The first snow of this year inspired me to think more and more about weather and nature, and this combined with my idea to write a fantasy poem. I settled on the idea of a human-like observer in the clouds who—to an extent—also controls the weather. This new perspective was quite entertaining as I explored both human life and weather from a bird’s-eye view. Just as people on earth often cannot see the forest for the trees, how would someone who could literally see the entire forest view human beings? The first two stanzas of the poem describe our “little girl” watching from her sunset cloud as people hurry about despite the fact they don’t seem to have a particular purpose. She is confused as to why they fail to stop and admire the beautiful sky above them or the nature around them.
The third and fourth stanzas describe the little girl listening to the world and becoming heartbroken as she hears their problems and fears—even those that other people do not. Her tears fall to the earth as rain and symbolize both a cleansing of the earth and also the growth that comes after rain.
As winter comes, the little girl’s cloud becomes a fierce storm, and those below hide and seek shelter. The little girl plants a “garden” of ice on the top of her cloud to give to them; as she sends her snowflakes down, the people she watches finally look around at the beauty surrounding them and smile. Sadly, this poem is not just a myth about little girls in clouds and the weather. It is based on a reminder to stop sometimes to enjoy the beauty of creation, that pain will heal and wash away, and how a little good deed blesses both the giver and receiver.
Photo Credits:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-snowflakes-decor-3334511/
Girl on a Cloud is so beautiful, good job like always.