First night of winter: it’s cold and dark, clouds obscuring the waning moon, but the snow flurries have stopped. Somewhere in the southern sky is the hunter, Orion, with Sirius, the Dog Star, at his heels.
It won’t be noticeable, but tomorrow there will be a few more seconds of daylight as winter begins to give way to spring.
Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
And miles to go before I sleep.
I had to memorize this when I was a freshman in high school. But, sixty years later all I remember now is, “and miles to go before I sleep…” I don’t think kids memorize poetry in school these days. Sad.
I often think of those last two lines when we are on the road and it seems like we will never get home.