Poems for a Snowy Day

Stuck at home again, thanks to snow.  So here’s my top five snowy day poems:

5.  “The Snow Man” by Wallace Stevens.  http://writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/stevens-snowman.html

4.  “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost.  http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=171621

3.  “Shoveling Snow with Buddha” by Billy Collins.  http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/shoveling-snow-with-buddha/

2.  “The Bear” by Galway Kinnell.  http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19851

1.  “[Zeus Rains Down Winter]” By Alceaus (early 6^th cent. B.C., Greek):

Zeus rains upon us, and from the sky comes down

enormous winter.  Rivers have turned to ice. . . .

Dash down the winter.  Throw a log on the fire

and mix the flattering wine (do not water it

    too much) and bind on round our foreheads

         soft ceremonial wreaths of fleece.

We must not let our spirits give way to grief.

By being sorry we get no further on,

   my Bukchis.  Best of all defenses

       is to mix plenty of wine, and drink it.

                                                                trans. Richard Lattimore