Winter Without Cold and Yet so Cold
An admonishing poem about East and West
In this winter, no winter appears,
Like early spring,
Day and night,
In January, where frost
Should bite my cheek.
Nature’s recharging,
Resetting,
Neutralizing.
.
I wonder,
What became of
The Siberian winter chill
That so often ice-bound the land,
Sweeping in storms from the East,
Freezing the mirrors of the lakes?
But in these years, it seems,
All from the mighty empire
To the East is unwelcome,
Apparently not even the cold.
.
Nor the North Wind
With its snow showers and frost,
Has held the power to blow
Its froth around my head.
A few feeble attempts—
A slight sniffle,
Melted away the next day.
.
Where have the sun and light
Been sent, if not here,
To lift our winter-heavy
Souls from darkness and despair?
For now, we long most
To rejoice in nature's
Lofty ice ballet.
.
From the West, the wind arrives,
Gray and disheartening,
Messages of gloom and misery.
Rain, wet and dreary,
Threats of tariffs,
And a lack of insight
Into Mother Earth’s convulsions.
.
Heading toward the end at great speed,
The money machines must be exploited
To their fullest.
Filling wallets,
While nature burns.
With no thought
For generations to come.
.
Author's Note
The author resides in Denmark, a country where harsh winters are uncommon due to the surrounding seas—a coastal climate. Yet, we have historically experienced Eastern winds bringing Siberian cold across the Baltic Sea from the vast continental climate of Russia, freezing the country for weeks or even months in January and February.
In recent years, however, these winds have lost their power, and the westerly winds have prevailed. Rain and storms now arrive from the mighty Atlantic and the North Sea.
Now we find ourselves in a new wind situation altogether: an aggressive breath down our necks from Russia, while politically, the West, once thought to be a dear friend and ally, also blows hard upon us.
We will endure, but there is concern for all those in the western world who have been misled into believing that the demagogue, promising lower prices and greater economic growth, is the right choice for their country and for world peace. Let the Paris Agreement fall, they say; exploit fossil riches to the fullest.
This recklessness will only hasten the winds from the West, melt the ice faster, and fuel the flames in the drought-stricken regions that were once fertile.
We humans are but a second in Earth’s history, and soon, our thoughtlessness will make us disappear after many tribulations. When we are gone, Mother Earth will once again count new seconds, with new life forms, perhaps better stewards of the planet than humankind ever was.
About the Creator
Henrik Hageland
A poet, a writer of feelings and hope. A Dane and inhibitant of the Earth thinking about what is to come.
A good story told or invented. Human all the way through.
Want to know more? Visit Substack , my YouTube Channel or TikTok.
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Comments (16)
Cant believe I am only now reading something by you, Henrick and what a poem to start with! this has such a beautiful that lulled me into a calm state before the harshness of the actual and metaphorical winds left me pondering about the fure! stunning work! congrats on Top Story!
Beautifully done. Here's mine https://shopping-feedback.today/authors/danielle-mosley-rrf0n40ghs%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3C/div%3E%3C/div%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv class="css-w4qknv-Replies">
Guys, please support me by reading my poems. You will like my words.
A dark future for certain seems to loom for the west, at least for now. But, I have hope that just like Mother Nature changes seasons, this too shall pass and brighter days may be ahead. Wonderfully written and far too relatable.
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
This is super amazing. It captures a poignant and striking commentary on the current state of the world. The imagery of rain and dreariness sets a somber tone, while the juxtaposition of greed and environmental destruction reflects a deep frustration with humanity's priorities.
Fantastic! Congrats on the TS.
Interesting tonal shifts per stanza. Well deserved TS! 🏅
It really makes me think of how angry I get when people act like this is good. When it isn't. DX It isn't good that Winters are wrong and warm. They should be cold and I'm so scared of the future.
This is beautifully written! It captures the contrast between nature’s fleeting beauty and humanity’s recklessness so powerfully. Really thought-provoking!
We are but mere beings in relation to this grand and mighty earth. It will always survive, but will we survive if we keep down this path?
Congratulations Also on Top Story🏆☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️
Oh my, I hope everyone would be okay. As a person who doesn't deal well with cold, this seems like a nightmare
I love this poem! I love reading the perspective of a Dane-- anyone outside the USA. As for the demagogue, I voted against him and was shocked that he won. I wouldn't say there is anyone to 'blame' exactly... but I do have my observations. Young people, people in their 20s and early 30s, especially black people and Latinos-- they seem to almost universally be of the opinion that "my vote doesn't matter." Cynics. Meanwhile, old white people vote in droves, either consciously or subconsciously knowing their vote *does* matter. I was shocked also by how many LGBTQ people I know (all young) who didn't feel threatened by this guy. I know a 30-year-old gay black man who exemplifies my personal experiences. I argued with him before the election. He is utterly apathetic about voting, pessimistic he can make a difference. And I explained that he is exactly why this guy is now in office. "If millions of people exactly like you stop being so pessimistic and got off your asses to punch a button in a voting booth, he wouldn't be in office." In just the few days since he's been in office, he's already done some pretty loathsome things. He's a narcissist who only cares about accumulating personal power. Eventually I suspect he'll try to do away with the Constitutional Amendment that prevents him from running for a third term. And there is no way in hell he'll accomplish that. If we did away with the antiquated 'electoral college' system here, conservatives would rarely win, if ever. The popular vote always goes against them.... which is why young people are justified in some ways for being such cynics! The only satisfaction for someone like me comes from knowing he has only four years before we kick him out.... and he can never run again. Forgive me for going off on a tangent. I really enjoyed this story. And I'm stealing that pic of lightning. ⚡😉 ⚡💙⚡
Great job Henrik. The whole world is changing. Winters are deformed, and summers become hotter than ever before, but according to the politicians, there is no global warming. There is no problem, yet everyone knows there is a problem. It may not be global warming, but the water is changing, I see the illustrious US leader now wants to take Greenland off your hands
A very strong poem there I love how you word things♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️