THE UNFAMILIAR
A bitter night,
With Christmas around the corner.
Snow, freezing as it was falling,
Hiding the paths
Through this unfamiliar wood.
Yet, touching the dead ferns
Curling in on themselves.
Catching the holly
Shining darkly through the snow,
I open my arms
To these unknown trees glittering
With starlight and splintered rainbows.
I long for my own home wood,
Where paths are beaten
Into fallen leaves and shadows.
Yet this place of tall trees,
Of wide spaces,
Of lost and scary paths covered in snow,
Hiding lost and scary creatures,
Has found a place in my heart.
For these are things of the earth
And their loveliness enchants me.
© 2020 Gwen Grant
Poems by Gwen Grant 
That’s wonderfully written and so evocative!
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Your beautiful poem made me nostalgic for Christmas! It is such a joyful holiday, isn’t it? The loveliness of your words enchants me, Gwen. I enjoy the way you bring out the beauty of the Earth with your eloquent poetry!
All the best, Veronica
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Thank you so much. The unfamiliar wood was a Kentish one. A long way from home.
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You are very welcome!
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This poem comes from when I was ten and a long way from home. These Kentish woods were very unfamiliar to me and I wanted to go home. Even so, I could still recognise and love the beauty of them. Thanks for your very encouraging comment, Veronica.
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