Blizzard 
By Ruth Rin

I watch from the window, in no hurry,
The descent of pristine flurries.
Imminent storm, amassing strength,
Gusty, blustery, in breadth and length.

Will the flakes fall light and fluffy,
Water-saturated, frozen, lumpy?
Will forceful nature in its wrath
Fell snow-laden trees in grid-lines’ path?

Feathery flakes, crystalline, delicate,
In the aggregate, they may devastate.
Outdoor air frigid, I prepare to recline,
Oh, no! Power outage! Heat in rapid decline.

Many amenities we take for granted,
When they are lost, we are flabbergasted.
Long before comforts bottom out,
Gratitude for them is paramount.

Tasting discomfort of brief duration,
Brings to mind others’ sustained situation.
The plight of the unhoused, with all it entails,
An unheated house, compared, does pale.

Must we ourselves undergo deprivation
To empathize with others' tribulation?
Such are the musings the blizzard inspires,
From pondering its beauty to outcomes dire.
****
By Ruth Rin, © 2026
Blizzard of January 25