Cows in Winter

Welcome to Poetry Friday, this week hosted by Mary Lee at A Year of Reading. Thank you for hosting! Make sure to stop by to see what Mary Lee’s got in store for us this week.

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Going for a ride for pleasure has become a rather rare thing lately, as there are few places to stop. But this week my husband and I drove south of Syracuse on back roads. The snow was gently falling, and we encountered a few cows in a pasture. They stood like statues, stopped by the cold. Or maybe there was another reason they were so quiet. They inspired a poem.

COWS

Lingering
this morning,

hypnotized 
by snowflakes, 
that perhaps, 
like a swarm
of fire flies
at night, sparkled
in their eyes

or was it the grass 
all around
d i s a p p e a r i n g
in white?

© Janice Scully 2020

I hope everyone is healthy. I’m looking forward to the vaccine, which really is a truly amazing accomplishment, though we must be patient. My gratitude to all the brilliant scientists that are helping us get past this pandemic!

15 thoughts on “Cows in Winter”

  1. Animals have varied reactions to snow, don’t they? I think “the grass all around disappearing in white” must befuddle those gals. Great poem and picture, Janice. 🙂

  2. Love that your thoughts leaned toward the cows, Janice, and their needs, too! Yes, nothing to do but wait! I, too, love that “disappearing in white”.

  3. What a beautiful moment you captured in your poem, wondering how the cows were reacting to the snowflakes. Snow has a way of enchanting us; I love thinking cows might feel the same way.

  4. Oh, you make me miss western NY. I grew up in a town with more cows than people. I’ve spent time wondering what cows think. Love that you took time to spend with cows.

  5. I love the contemplative mood in both your poem and pic, and they work so well together! Thanks for inviting us to slow down, take in the cows, and snowflakes…

  6. Janice, when little we often took rides in the countryside outside of Syracuse and I was always fascinated by the “moo moos”. This photo and poem brought that back to me because this time of the year, Syracuse always had snow.

  7. Snow IS hypnotizing – what a great photo & poem. Must have been so peaceful to be there and see them in a gentle snowfall that’s “eating up” their grass. Cows seem so patient… a good symbol for us, maybe, just wondering while waiting things out…

  8. I feel like I have paused for a moment in the snow, too, Janice, lingering with you and these contemplative cows. My youngest daughter loves everything about cows (not that she’s ever had any close-up experience with them, other than a field trip to a dairy farm which actually horrified us both because of their methods) so I’ll be sure to share this with her. Thank you.

  9. I love the sense of wonder in your poem, Janice. My husband and I have been going for lots of drives on backroads during these past months. Like you, I find lots of inspiration for poems. Thank you for sharing this one!

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