Ice Skating Beyond the Wood

I once lived out in the country, beyond the babbling noise of car horns, banshee sirens, and life's marathons. Those years were spent amongst the forest and foxes unseen. Turkeys and bubbly bunnies were our woodland neighbors. Milk cows jingled, jangled across the distant pasture. Tawny deer sidled near the glistening pond, making neighbors with their shadows upon the ice. God's peace nestled on the porch of our quaint "Ponderosa".

My brother and I decided to go ice skating one December eve. My dad, a bristly fellow, took up shovel and headed to our pond "beyond the wood". He heaved and hoed, shoveling snow off the "present wrapped" ice. Snow tipped oak branches where robins once perched. Flurries floated, settling upon my hard-working dad. My brother and I dressed as warm as puffy Eskimos. We trudged and nudged through the white, pure land. Hopping Jacque Cousteau (my dog), followed our boot-prints. Finally, we made it to glacier delight! We swooped and plopped! My dad, our protector, watched and kept eye. For a gliding moment, we skated beyond life's trials, we skated beyond worries and strife. Merriment and love warmed our mittens and hats that skating "memory day".

Ice Skating Beyond the Wood

Beyond the wood, beyond the noisy city cymbals,

far away from cluttered carriage roads,

Castle "O'Winter" stands

bejeweled by fortress of billowing drifts

mirrored ice reflects Christmas pines

Hidden critters mime softened sleep

Awake! chubby cheeks of the meadow!

Sudden chuckles melt serene frozen silence

Wooly scarfs muffle pink-frost, gumdrop cheeks

puffy crocheted mittens hasten

over the pearly, whirly hills we skip

Scurry! Hurry! through curtains of flurries

Come little brother, silly-filly sister

beyond the wood, beyond napping oaks,

pass the snoozing yellow-pop daisies,

there glistens, gleaming "Mr. Frog" pond

Burly daddy awaits a snowy fate

shovel scrapes, cracks, mops

white mist fogs over dear ole' pops

"Tis ready my little ones!"

"Come my princess daughter!"

"Come my peppy son!"

"Stay! Mr. barking Cousteau!"

"Shh, over yonder, spotted fawn"

Silver skates warm popsicle toes

Swish, swirl, giggle, plop!

Oh my! tis hard, my little Eskimo guy

round and round

icicle, shiny nickel,

pretend Puget Sound

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