Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BELATED WINTER, by WALT MASON


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BELATED WINTER, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: When winter is done, and its journey is
Last Line: "since winter won't learn to behave."
Subject(s): Snow; Winter


WHEN winter is done, and its journey is run, it ought to retire for a while;
retire to its tomb, or its lair, and make room for spring, with her radiant
smile. When spring comes along with her laughter and song, and birds singing
carols in tune, man, trustful galoot, dons a light gauzy suit, and underwear
fitted for June. He's chipper and gay, and he thinks it O. K. to soak all his
wintertime duds; oh, he's stylish and neat, and the girls say he's sweet as the

bees and the birds and the buds. Then spring flies away, and the heavens are
gray, and winter comes back with a roar, with winds that are bleak, being iced
for a week somewhere on the Spitzbergen shore. Then where is the guy who was
sauntering by, attired in his summertime rig? In a hospital bed he is out of his

head, insisting on dancing a jig. Doc says to the nurse, "Better order a hearse,

and measure this gent for a grave; there's no way to miss such a drama as this,

since winter won't learn to behave."





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net