THE snow lies deep: nor sun nor melting shower Serves to abate the winter's icy power. One fall has scarcely come another's there, And stays in drifts unmelted all the year. Fierce and tempestuous is the North-wind's sway; It levels towers of stone and carries roofs away. With skins and trousers men keep out the cold; Naught but their faces can your eyes behold. Into one mass their hair is frozen tight, Their beards with hoary rime hang glistening white. Nor need they jars their liquor to confine, They do not quaff a cup, they break a bit of wine. Water is brittle here; you use a spade; And running streams by frost are solid made. Even the Danube flows with waves concealed The dark blue surface into ice congealed. On foot we go across the unmoving tide And horses' hoofs ring loud where once their oarsmen plied. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...RELIGION by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR AN AUGUST MIDNIGHT by THOMAS HARDY THE LOVE OF CHRIST WHICH PASSETH KNOWLEDGE by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI SYSTEM by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON A PRAYER FOR A VERY NEW ANGEL by VIOLET ALLEYN STOREY TO THE SOLITUDE OF FONTENAY by GUILLAUME AMFRYE THE GARLAND OF SLEEP by AUGUSTE ANGELLIER THE BIRDS: THE HOOPOE'S CALL TO HIS WIFE PROCNE, THE NIGHTINGALE by ARISTOPHANES |