Snow Days
Dover, MA
2024, Junior, Poetry & Spoken Word
We once dreamed of snow days
When school was out for several days
We waited inside and watched the snow lay
On the ground like a soft white blanket
We played in it until we had a soaked jacket
The holidays came and we looked outside
As the snow shined against the bright lights
We once dreamed of snow days
But now it’s January
And we haven’t gotten one delay
Up ‘till March, maybe even May
We were stuck shoveling driveways
But now the storms won’t come our way
Can we complain?
We always wanted the groundhog to see its shadow
So we could have a winter that was mallow
We yearned for an early spring
unaware of the damage warm days were causing
We once dreamed of snow days
But never liked to bundle up just to go play
It seemed like a hassle, those few seconds taken out of our day
Trudging through snow and walking on sleek ice
Doesn’t seem like such a bad price
Now that the icebergs are losing their size
We once dreamed of snow days
For pretend trips to the North Pole
But sadly we know polar bears are losing their homes
Strong arctic animals that once lived with no fear
Are now starting to disappear
In just a blink
The penguins start to go extinct
We once dreamed of snow days
But they’re stuck in the past
Because of the horrid carbon dioxide gas
Cute little creatures are losing their homes
And forced to bear the cold alone
In several years
how will we feel
When future generations ask if polar bears were real
Reflection
Reflection
My poem conveys different ways climate change has affected us. Many people are aware of the significant issues that climate change has caused, especially in recent years. However, more subtle changes to our climate have become noticeable. Winters here in New England are well known for their frigid snowstorms. Snowfall used to begin as early as November and continue through March, but it has noticeably reduced and become less predictable. February, which was once one of the coldest months, now almost feels like spring. For the first time in my nine years of going to school, we didn’t have a single snow day this year. While many people are grateful for an early spring, I realized this shift in temperature wasn’t right. The seasons’ weather patterns have become unpredictable and slowly get more irregular. Writing this poem made me nostalgic for snow days from previous years. I wondered if future generations will get to experience them. I hope this poem shows the urgency to take action before even the smallest aspects of our lives get changed. This poem represents a feeling of longing toward childhood memories and how quickly they could disappear from reality. While we can’t restore the past, hopefully, we can create a better future.