The Thaw
Torn the lacery from the shrubs,
gone the icing from the wall,
the holly sheds his heavy load;
from each strong bough and slender twig
even strokes of dazzling white
flake in soft and sudden parody.
Dazzling icicles along the eaves
drip away their last bright tunes,
ashamedly the speckled grass
brushes back our winter view
and children slicing tangled scars
sledge down the muddied hill.
On the green the snowman slumps
carrot and coals gone from his face
hat now sodden and askew:
the snow that swiftly spread
its cloak of such beguiling white
sadly retreats bedraggled ground.
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