The Cold shift
A cold shift takes you out of time, as you know it. You don’t see people anymore, you see the shift, the cold and the frost… AND here we go, works by authors I am loving at the moment 👏🏽☃️ John Cox, Harper Lewis, Sara Wilson, Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin, Julie Lacksonen, Homayra Adida 👏🏽☃️ In no particular order ♥️
The shift consumes like a blanket
Of haze, resting along the landscape
Light goes dim and the shadows hold long
— ©️
Days are shortened
But the evergreen stands strong
Waiting to be covered in frost
❄️🌨️❄️
Cricket songs go glum
Resting in the quiet fading out
Like the crunching and rustling of leaves
They
Go ©️
Then comes the wind
Whipping and throwing bare tree branch
Waiting for snowflakes to absorb sound waves
❄️🌨️❄️
The earth rest in the damp
And the wet leaves die, nay they decay
—©️
Microbes
Breaks down
Organic matter
And thoughts fly
As a matter of fact, I thought I smelt woodsmoke
But in a moment suppression grips hold
❄️🌨️❄️
Surface
All of which
Goes cold — to the touch
And heaven ponders a gift of powdery snow
Smooth ice as it melts and freezes again
—©️
Ice glaze
Glaze ice
The force of the wind, pushes stronger than before
Without the leaves to buffer the gust you’re pushed to and fro
Not long now, for that delicate crunch beneath our feet beneath our toes
~Caitlin Charlton ~
About the Creator
Caitlin Charlton
poetry too close to home
🪄~unique fictional stories 💎 you’ve never known 🪄
📖~ let me read your work, say hi to me, I will leave comments longer than the road, please do return ~ 🙏🏽
📸 YouTube natures finest moments 🎥
~ married👰💍 ~
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
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Comments (17)
You definitely gave a great description of the transformation into winter and just reading it is making me feel cold! I can picture your words as images in my mind.
I love how sensory rich this is with metaphor and science taking us through a unique and clever journey of seasonal transitions. Great work Caitlin!
Hi Caitlin! I love poetry that activates my prefrontal cortex. The mental pictures conjured up from this poem were so wonderful and relaxing. I felt as if I was there experiencing the evergreens, the frost, the leaves, the snow, and the whole shifting of the seasons. It was so beautiful and I enjoyed it. Thank you.
Such a gorgeous transition of seasons.
I get a real sense of the kind of momentum of the seasons
What a beautiful way to describe the transition from autumn to winter. Good job.
You have done it again, Caitlin. What a wonderfully rich and sensory poem that takes you right into the scenes you are describing. As a microbiologist I especially loved the reference to microbes: "Microbes Breaks down Organic matter And thoughts fly"
"Waiting for snowflakes to absorb sound waves" That was my favourite line. Your poem was sooooo beautiful. Loved it so much!
The challenge prompt calls for a sensory rich poem and this poem is both rich and a treat for all the senses. I love how creatively you managed the rhythm and meter of poem which gives the reader a greater appreciation for both the literal seasonal elements and the metaphorical ones. This is a wonderful poem and a great entry to the challenge, Caitlin! Well done and good luck!
Love it. Actually felt the cold of winter coming.
"nay they decay" My favorite line, it made me giggle! I just love this poem, it makes wintery weather sound so beautiful <3 "I thought I smelt woodsmoke" I love this smell so much, woodstove heat is so cozy. Amazing artful poem Caitlin <3
Such a great entry for the challenge, Caitlin! I could feel the cold coming.
“ Cricket songs go glum Resting in the quiet fading out” I felt this in my soul!! Wonderful writing, as always. I walked the seasons with you and I loved it ❤️
"The Cold Shift" has me missing northern winters—far from Florida’s warmth. It feels refreshing, like a renewal of memories. I love your line about "evergreens standing strong, waiting to be covered in frost." Gorgeous!!!
Yaar, my story isn’t getting uploaded. When I try to upload it, it stays in drafts — why is that?
I’m at a bit of a loss here—I feel this but can’t pinpoint which phrasing stands out the most. Cleanth Brooks called this effect the wel-wrought urn—nothing can be removed without losing meaning and affecting the whole. Extremely well done, especially for something created to fit a challenge.
Nice take on the challenge, and great to share the work of your favourite creators