THE MAN WITH WHITE FROST IN HIS BEARD
Joanna Svensson

                                        

In our garden early one morning
I see the man of December
Every season has its keeper
He is sittning on a stub
Dressed in a coat so white

The morning sun reflects itself
In his bushy frosty beard
His thick white frock
His fur cap and his bag

At first I thought
He was a stranger
That had lost himself
In our wilderness
But then I realized
He comes around
Sent by winter
This time each year

He wears a fur cap
Made out of fog
That the northern wind has woven
A bushy beard
Made out of white frost
That the frozen dew has kissed

In my dreams I have already seen him
High up in the Universe
Walking a Milky Way
Of pure white frost

In his white robe
Snow flakes are glittering
And thousands of diamonds
Of frozen morning dew

Outside Maybe cold and frozen
But in his heart so warm and true

He knew exactly
Where he was headed
He knew just when
The time was right
And now he is sitting
On a stub
Just like times passed
This time each year

He knows
That I've been waiting
And he knows
That I understand
And I know
That he will bring
All good balance
In nature calm

On his shoulder
A huge old sack
Filled with fresh
And frozen snow
Of warmth his eyes
They just glitter
Like beacons
Of peace itself

He talks to the birds
The birds in the trees
He talks to the deers
The deers on the meadow
He talks about the passing
Of nature and time

I am the man of December
I will secure
Nature's rest after stormy fall
Before new life in spring
Will shot forth anew

Although it outside
Is cold and windy
Although it outside
Even snows
It's still in balance
And he seems pleased
With what he sees
In our garden dear

The trees tell him stories
About blooming and greenness
About late summers harvests

The man of December
Makes notes in his book
Everything thorough
'Bout the passning of nature

Then he gets up
And walks around in our garden
He seems really happy
With all things around

So he spreads a thick cover
Of leaves and home made frost
He blesses and grants the earth
Its winter rest and peacefulness

He slowly covers each bush, each tree
Each flowerfield and each meadow
So all of nature will be safely tucked in
Until next years dawn of spring

Everything in our garden
Is so breathtakingly calm
Like a deep breath
Waiting to exhail
Prepared for its winter rest
Prepared for its winter sleep
To set the nature at peace
And let it regain itself
To regain - to rejoyce
To be able to wake up
To a life all anew
To a new spring once more!

29/12  2019 Skurup, Sweden

©® Joanna Svensson

© Private picture 2018