
“A Winter Scene” by Renaboo
William CowperΒ
from his work: “The Task“
Β Β Oh Winter! ruler of thβ inverted year,
Thy scatterβd hair with sleet like ashes fillβd,
Thy breath congealβd upon thy lips, thy cheeks
Fringβd with a beard made white with other snows
Than those of age; thy forehead wrapt in clouds,
A leafless branch thy sceptre, and thy throne
A sliding car, indebted to no wheels,
But urgβd by storms along its slippβry way;
I love thee, all unlovely as thou seemβst,
And dreaded as thou art!Β Thou holdβst the sun
A prisβner in the yet undawning East,
Shortβning his journey between morn and noon,
And hurrying him, impatient of his stay,
Down to the rosy West; but kindly still
Compensating his loss with added hours
Of social converse and instructive ease,
And gathering at short notice, in one group,
The family dispersβd, and fixing thought,
Not less dispersβd by day-light and its cares.
I crown thee King of intimate delights,
Fire-side enjoyments, home-born happiness,
And all the comforts that the lowly roof
Of undisturbβd retirement, and the hours
Of long uninterrupted evening, know.
Tags: Art, Literature, Poems, Poetry, Stories, winter