Poem: Martyn Brown’s ‘Snow’

Snow; the modelling clay of children young and old

Bringing sudden demand for coal, carrot,

flat cap, scarf and pipe

Snow; the great leveller, disguising the landscape

Softening its edges, absorbing the sounds

of nature and man

Snow; the stunning beauty, pouting picture perfect

A panorama of Wensleydale cheese

on fruit cake footings

Snow; the winter meddler, emptying workplaces

Applying the brake to daily commutes

and sun-filled escapes

Snow; the empty canvas, craving inspiration

A giant whiteboard, prompting the first step

to new beginnings

Snow; the expected thaw replenishing colour

Contour and texture sharply restored to

factory default

Snow; the thought provoker, a fleeting reminder

Of things dear to us, of things which have gone

Of who we really are

Martyn Brown is a deaf grandad in a hearing family. He regularly regularly speaks for NDCS and (from 2017) Hearing Dogs for the Deaf. He relies on digital aids, lip reading and is a black belt in the Deaf Nod.

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