IN THE WHITE WOODS 



ing beneath grotesque caps and shoulder 

 capes that were part of the whelming 

 snow. Yet it all looked as light and airy 

 as any structure of the imagination, 

 seeming as if it might rise and float away 

 with a change of mood, some substance 

 of which air castles are built, some great 

 white dream poised to drift lightly into 

 the realm of the remembered, as white 

 dreams do. 



In woodland pathways where the trees 

 were large enough on either side so that 

 they did not bend beneath the snow and 

 obstruct, all passage was noiseless; 

 amongst shrubs and slender saplings it 

 was almost impossible. The bent withes 

 hobbled you, caught you breast high and 

 hurled you back with elastic but unyield- 

 ing force, throttled you and drowned you 

 in avalanches of smothering white. To 

 attempt to penetrate the thicket was like 



