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First appreciable (healthy) snowfall 2026...

I ably, easily and readily admit
to self plagiarization
about half of the following words that did flit
to and fro, hither and yon
(about three hundred
and sixty five days ago)
saving me the trouble to knit
brows together, and hopefully
readers don't needle me,
but unconditionally accept and permit
one protoplasmic corporeal essence
housing a future ectoplasmic unit
awaiting a small medium at large
to summon forth one generic guy
who still exudes esprit de corps
after his body electric
given carte blanche leeway
to stride rite upon the welcome mat
prior to entering Elysium fields.

Though a witness to seven and sixty
(threescore and seven) winters
traveling astride the World,
Globe, Sphere, Orb, Terra,
Gaia, Cosmos, Creation,
and the Blue Planet
along magical mystery tour de force
hashtagged as other names for Gaia,
the Greek primordial goddess
of the Earth, include
in Greek, with her Roman equivalent
being Terra or Tellus (Mother Earth);
She also has many epithets
like Anesidora (gift-giving)
and is associated with concepts
like Mother Earth, Earth Mother,
and various other
global earth goddesses like Pachamama,
the last eight and a half years mein kampf lived
within Perkiomen Valley Pennsylvania,
which pure as the driven snow
blanketed a wide swath
covering north eastern United States
aw-shucks disappointingly
tapering off this January 17th
while the bell in the belfry
muffled clangor struck high noon.

Virgin whiteness blanketed terrestrial realm
bajillion snowflakes tumbled
out of the sheltering sky
atavistic fascination awakened
agog at ice crystals stinging each eye
while I struck open mouthed stance
relishing tasting frozen water molecules.

No matter yours truly witnessed
countless winter wonderlands
since completing lxvii orbitz
seemingly whiplashed faster
as this mortal
doth get older
as he journeys around the sun,
the first major
seasonal substantial accumulation
excites the little boy inside me,
momentarily oblivious
to the cares and concerns
of an uncertain webbed wide world

Additionally, I feel truly
humbled and enamored
when Mother Nature
singly and/or nsync
with old man winter,
whether she (former)
looses propensity to wreak havoc
(think climatological, geological,
meteorological, et cetera phenomena)
or latter trumpets weather,
whereby landscape magically transformed
into blinding brilliance,
I tip hat to personification of winter
and fondly think back
remembering '96 storm of the century.

At that time January 1996
me and the missus timesharing
seven nights and six days holed up
along Shawnee on the Delaware,
(a honeymoon gift courtesy my parents)
spending disproportionate amount of time
frolicking under warm blankets
while watching starry eyed galaxy
of frozen water which appeared white
because said precipitation
made of countless clear ice crystals
that scattered all colors
of sunlight in every direction,
and when all colors combined,
our eyes perceived white,
similar to how clouds
or foam looks white
due to light scattering off tiny water droplets,
and while individual snowflakes translucent,
the complex surfaces and air pockets
cause light to reflect
and refract (bounce) off them repeatedly
until the full spectrum of light
returns to dazzle the eye
ardently, fervently, naturally...
both of us experiencing
devilish, feverish, impish,
loutish (more so me)... concupiscence
striving to beget offspring, yet unsuccessful
conceiving Blizzard Baby,
who subsequently got conceived
with seminal determination a few months later.

Now far beyond prime procreative age,
(though I wistfully envisage
begetting another progeny -
simultaneously stretching credulity
to breaking point)
all things considered
while breathing in the fresh air
exhaustion would peter out
after capitulation of divining rod
necessitating lifetime to recoup energy.

Bound (by choice,
linkedin to the lack
of a four wheel drive vehicle),
hence choose to remain
safe as a soundcloud
within figurative four walls
of Schwenksville, Pennsylvania domicile,
formerly an elementary school
in a previous incarnation
(since repurposed into
Highland Manor Apartments)
courtesy appreciable snowfall,
which yours truly hopes endures
I direct energy crafting poem.

Yours truly will actually
refrained comestibles despite feeling hungry -
lest metabolism to digest food
decreased potential alertness,
and full belly found me
ready, able and willing
to doze immediately into deep slumber.

Hungry stomach in tandem
with eventful weather
sends surge of giddiness
coursing thru body electric
crackling, popping, and snapping
(while O Captain My Captain)
came to whit man (me) suddenly
enervating with poignant pregnant expectancy
papa pondering his empty nest syndrome
(deux super tramping progeny flew the coop,
a dirty dozen deeds done dirt cheap
tricked themselves with pluck)
analogously attempting to offset void
coaxing reasonable rhyme into existence
unsure how literary endeavor
(mine) will thrive
amidst well suited
panoply of prolific writers,
whose unseen fingers
hop lightly and gracefully
across qwerty computer keyboard
akin to heavy armed soldiers
with fearlessness and deliberation
heading off to war
to acquire poetic license.

Meanwhile chafed knuckles
of one garden variety primate
previously scraping along avast tundra,
(where methinks I espied frozen Mastodon
frozen during a previous ice age),
a bajillion generations before
said twenty first century caveman
learned to stand erect
earlier this dawn of civilization
countless millenniums ago,
now endeavored to strike letter combinations
eliciting, facilitating, and generating
enticing curb appeal
where snow angels fear to tread.

About This Poem

Last Few Words: actual commencement of winter punctuated by measurable snowfall here within southeastern montgomery county, pennsylvania.

Style/Type: Free verse

Review Request Direction: What did you think of my title?
How was my language use?
What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?
How does this theme appeal to you?
How was the beginning/ending of the poem?
Is the internal logic consistent?

Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back

Editing Stage: Editing - polished draft

About the Author

Region, Country: PA, USA

Favorite Poets: Robert Burns, Charles Dickens, Robert Frost, Matthew Scott Harris, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Sylvia Plath, Gary Snyder, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman

More from this author

Comments

neopoet

neopoet

3 months 1 week ago

Neopoet AI [2025-04]

The below is a computer-generated response from Neo, Neopoet’s AI:

This poem presents a sprawling, richly allusive meditation on snowfall, memory, and the passage of time, blending personal narrative with mythological and scientific references. Its ambition is notable, as it seeks to capture the multifaceted experience of winter’s arrival and its emotional resonance.

Strengths: - The poem’s diction is erudite and varied, weaving classical references (e.g., “Elysium fields,” “protoplasmic corporeal essence,” “lxvii orbitz”) with colloquial and contemporary language (“hashtagged,” “linkedin,” “SoundCloud”), which creates a layered texture that reflects the complexity of the speaker’s reflections. - The use of extended metaphor and personification—Mother Nature, Old Man Winter, and the “body electric”—enriches the thematic depth, connecting natural phenomena with human experience and emotion. - The poem’s narrative arc, from youthful wonder to mature contemplation and nostalgia, is compelling and relatable, especially in the way it acknowledges the tension between the excitement of snowfall and the encroaching responsibilities and limitations of age.

Areas for development: 1. **Structural coherence and pacing:** The poem’s length and density occasionally impede clarity and momentum. The abundance of parenthetical asides, lists, and digressions can distract from the central emotional thread. Consider tightening the structure by pruning or integrating some of these elements more seamlessly to maintain reader engagement. 2. **Lineation and rhythm:** The poem’s free verse form sometimes results in uneven pacing. Some lines feel overly long or cumbersome, which can disrupt the flow. Experimenting with varied line lengths and strategic enjambment might enhance musicality and readability. 3. **Clarifying imagery and references:** While the erudition is impressive, some references (e.g., “mein kampf lived within Perkiomen Valley,” “dirty dozen deeds done dirt cheap”) may jar or confuse readers due to their historical or cultural weight or seeming incongruity. Reflect on whether these allusions serve the poem’s emotional core or risk alienating the audience. 4. **Tone and voice consistency:** The poem shifts between formal, almost academic diction and colloquial, playful expressions. While this can be effective, at times it feels uneven. A more consistent tonal balance could strengthen the speaker’s voice and make the poem’s personality more distinct. 5. **Use of punctuation and capitalization:** The poem’s unconventional punctuation and capitalization choices sometimes hinder comprehension. For example, inconsistent capitalization (“linkedin,” “SoundCloud,” “lxvii orbitz”) and parentheses usage can interrupt the reading experience. Revisiting these choices for clarity and intentional effect would be beneficial.

Overall, the poem’s ambition and intellectual richness are commendable, but refining its structural and tonal elements would help its emotional resonance shine more clearly. Focusing on clarity and flow will better serve the vivid imagery and thoughtful reflections embedded throughout.

Please send feedback about Neo (our AI critique system) to neopoet.com/contact