WINTER 



was not to his liking, for his imprints 

 led off in easy hops for a few feet, 

 where he stopped. Two little points 

 in the snow and two heavy impressions 

 of his hind feet showed where he had 

 sat up to listen and look about, then 

 he started off at a quickened pace, 

 shown by the longer leaps. Presently 

 he stopped again and sat up ; this time, 

 scenting danger, he was off in dodging 

 leaps of eight feet, leaving only slight 

 imprints of his dainty feet where they 

 had flashed across the snow. 



Out in the cornfield, about the prone 

 shocks, the tracks of crows were to be 

 seen, where they had swaggered about, 

 and smaller prints of the jays showed 

 where they too had found a welcome 

 meal. A passing flock of snowflakes 

 came sweeping over the field and settled 

 on a hillside where some weed stalks 

 stood out stiffly above the snow. While 

 feeding on the seeds they twittered 

 merrily, then, spying the Neighbour, 

 rose suddenly and wheeled over the hill 

 and away across the field out of sight. 



Each day the sun became stronger 

 and slowly burned ragged rifts in Win- 

 93 



