Snow Foe
I’m rather certain snow falls for a reason,
Like adding charm to wintertime’s cold season.
But after many years of getting pelted,
My favorite type of snow is when it’s melted.
A Few Seconds More
If there could be one thing about myself that I’d adjust,
It would be cutting out the spoken but unmeant offenses,
That come from treating every thought’s expression as a must,
By pausing several seconds to consider consequences.
Why She Looks So Good
I saw a woman at a birthday party,
I knew from fifty years ago in school.
And she looked even better now than then—
Which stayed unsaid—I’m not that big a fool!
I did ask what she does to look so lovely,
And with her eyes lit up, while smiling wide,
I thought she’d mention eating well and workouts,
But, glowingly—“I’m happy!” —she replied.
Both Sides of Vision
Readily we see that which is wrong,
For it tends to hog the brightest light.
But too often it takes overlong
Till we’re cognizant of all that’s right.
Russel Winick started writing poetry after ending a long legal career. He resides in Naperville, Illinois.
Russel, my favorite snow is also the melted kind. Pausing several seconds is one way; not responding is often preferrable. Ah, it makes one wonder why the happiness! Hindsight is the best vision of all. Thank you for another fun read.
Thanks Roy! I believe the lovely lady’s happiness is occasioned by good health, and having a very large family that all lives nearby and gets along well. Can’t beat that!
Right, Russel, that is the happiest of situations. I’m glad to read “Why She Looks So Good” and glad you gave this poet’s note to fill it out.
Thank you Margaret, I’m glad that you liked the poem and the backstory.
These are so good, and also fun — as always. Your poems never fail to make me smile, Russel. Thank you!
I, too, like melted snow the best. And, it is a funny human trait to think that every thought must be expressed. That thought of yours reminds me about how so many people think that every experience must be posted online. (Maybe you could write one about that!)
Thanks Cynthia — that’s a thought ! I once saw an online posting by someone I knew, who was unfaithful to his wife at every opportunity, but the posting showed the couple at an anniversary event — and included him dishing out marriage advice! Of course, I wrote about that. Thanks as always for your extremely kind words.
Think twice, speak once.
Happiness is a warm gun.
The third poem brings to mind a host of Biblical quotations.
I lost track of the first one: It doesn’t hurt to have a slush fund.
“Think twice, speak once” indeed works for me, as long as they’re in that order! Thank you Sir.
Loved the longer lines in “A Few Seconds More.” They fit the topic. As for snow, I learned to feel as you do about the melted variety during years in New York and Massachusetts. Here in Southern California, we keep the more solid snow on the mountaintops where it belongs. You are right again about wrongs tending to hog the brighter light, and it takes poetic sense to come up with “hog” as the best word for it
Margaret, your brilliance once again puts my modest skills to shame, as the longer lines in “A Few Seconds More” were simply how the concept’s expression turned out! At least I did choose “hog” over every other option that occurred to me. Thank you, as ever, for your magnificent feedback.
Wisdom and wit
Thank you Michael, for those kind words.
Poems 1, 2, and 4 are perfect little squibs — they each make a concise and clear assertion about a subject, a thought, or an opinion. Squibs, like limericks, are always transparent (or they should be), and these three are like crystal.
Poem 3 is a short narrative, with the sight of an old acquaintance, a question asked, and a very brief answer. The poem itself gives no further explication of why the woman is happy, and in that sense the poem open-ended — it is not necessary to give a real-world supposition about why the real-world model for this character is happy.
Thank you Professor. “Crystal” is a poetically golden word for me, because of my lifelong love of the crystal stair metaphor in Langston Hughes’ marvelous “Mother to Son.” In the third poem above, when my friend answered my question by simply explaining that she was happy, I knew instantly that there was a sweet poem right there, and I never even considered diluting her wonderful words with further detail. Thank you (and Margaret) so much for verifying that choice.
Four more of your wise, witty and wonderful life observations that I thoroughly enjoyed. If snow could just be warm, I might like it! Thank you Russel.
Thank you Norma — I’m so glad that you enjoyed the poems, and grateful that you were kind enough to let me know.
Russel, the thing I like so much about your poems is that they make me feel like I know you (and like you)! Please consider compiling your wonderful short(er) poems. I would definitely buy a book of your poetry!
Thank you for your cogent and kind feedback, Marguerite. Our poems do reveal a good bit of who we are, don’t they?
“Snow Foe” I can tell is written by a true Chicagoan. The sentiment is readily recognizable. “A Few Seconds More” and “Both Sides” are both poems of self-reflection and maxims for life. “Why She Looks So Good” is striking. It is as much a life lesson as the others, but framed as a narrative. And its message is particularly striking: what’s on the inside is always reflected on the outside, and internal happiness will do more than diet and exercise.
Thanks Adam, for your thoughtful sentiments. I totally agree with you about “Why She Looks So Good.” My friend’s comment truly was striking to me, as it was not at all what I expected to hear. What a great attitude!
Russel, I enjoy reading your poems since they tend to be concise, clear and make me feel an emotion. I relate with number 2 the most which reminded me of your poem that I believe is titled Maxim #1. Happy people do tend to have a glow to them that makes them seem youthful in association with the 3rd poem. The 1st poem made me smile. Thanks for sharing these poems.
Thank you Paul. I greatly appreciate your analyses of my work.
You hit it out of the park with “Snow Foe”. The snow was bad enough, but the sudden melt brought water in the basement. I’ve been playing with the shop vac….
I appreciate the compliment, but am very sorry to hear about the water, Cheryl. I hope it was all cleaned up with no damage.
Both Sides of Vision -> ballast for the speed boat of judgment. Which judgment wants to pivot toward someone else’s faults till the craft does nothing but circle.
That’s one impressive way to put it. Thanks, Alec
All brilliant poems, but Snow Foe is one that will spring to mind when the snow shovels are out.
Thanks Murray. Yep, as soon as snow starts falling, I look at the weather forecast for when it might become warm enough to melt.
Russel, I just love this latest poetic array of sagacious observations that I continue to learn from. Thank you, O wise and witty one!
You’re most kind and welcome, Poet Laureate.
Brisket and bruising. Snow Foe brought back some student memories of overstaying winter freezes.
Thanks for the reads.
From one apparently non-snow-lover to another, thank you, Paul.