Whispers of Winters Past

Whispers of Winters Past

This time of year my life seems numb and still,
for I am paralyzed by winter's frigid breath.
I feel as worthless as the lifeless leaves of fall
that shiver 'neath their naked trees again.
As usual, I'm deaf to season's whispers
and with my mind's eye shut, I'm blinded to the past.

It snowed today, just like in winters past.
My friends all love this wintry scene, yet still,
annoyed by winter's grip, I mock their whispers
and curse their merriment under my breath.
Within my mind, the storm clouds form again
and further 'neath the snow my spirits fall.

Then as I slept the white stuff ceased to fall
and through the trees a full-faced moon peeks past.
Across the countryside, he spreads his light again
and smiles on my face as I lay dreaming still.
Upon my windows, he paints his silvery breath
and on my mind, he tickles with his whispers.

Awakened to the sounds of playful whispers,
I hear outside the giggles that now fall.
Out in the snow, a young girl twirls with frosty breath;
This child, I know! It's she who shares my past —
brought forth from memories within me still.
To my surprise, my youth's now spinning back again.

She whirls across her snowy stage again,
dancing to the silent songs this season whispers.
Behind her, footprints of a simple youth dance, still;
ahead, I see my steps have yet to fall.
The child then lies in pristine snow, and fades into the past,
and at my feet, a snow angel now takes away my breath.

With snow caked on my back and chuckles on my breath,
I'm leaving prints upon my pathless life again.
I'm playing like the carefree child of my past,
and in the sparkle of the snow, I hear her whispers.
Her gentle song upon the breeze begins to fall —
the song that winter's spirit's spreading, still.

Next year I hope that in the still of winter's breath,
when icy snowflakes start to fall, I'll hear again
my inner child's sweet whispers of our winters past.


(The sestina follows a strict pattern of the repetition of the six initial end-words of the first stanza through the remaining five six-line stanzas, culminating in a three-line envoi.)