A Winter Poem and a Cheery Song to Ring in the New Year

A Winter Poem to Close 2020 and

A Very Cheery Song to Dance and Sing into the New Year!

By Alice Jane-Marie Massa

                Thank you for joining us on WORDWALK throughout this surprising and suspending year of 2020.  On this New Year’s Eve WORDWALK, you will find a winter poem which I wrote in early November for a Readers’ Workshop, as well as a delightful song “Dominic the Donkey, the Italian Christmas Donkey,” performed by Lou Monte.  This endearing donkey is guaranteed to make you want to celebrate the new year with dancing and singing along. 

                Besides continuing with the donkey theme on WORDWALK, “Dominic” is certainly a familiar name in our family.  In addition to my paternal grandparents having a dear friend and neighbor named Dominic, a cousin who was a paratrooper at the Battle of the Bulge was named Dominic.  A young cousin who was graduated from Indiana University in May and who is now working in Chicago is named Dominic.  Although my maternal grandmother was frequently called “Minnie” after immigrating to the United States from Italy, her given name was the beautiful-sounding “Domenica.”  Thus, I do like the name of this little donkey, known as “the Italian Christmas Donkey.”

                Before the donkey tale, I am sharing with you a 27-line poem that gives you a glimpse of my 2020, which included two moves–one to Michigan and one back to the same block where I have lived for over 29 years in Milwaukee.  Secondly, I chose this poem for this final posting of 2020 because the part of Milwaukee where I live had its first snow of the season last evening–eight inches of the myriad of snowflakes.

* * *

Back to Where I Know Winter

By Alice Jane-Marie Massa

Now that the autumnal wind of change

rustled all deciduous trees and wrestled each limb

until dry leaves were the losers,

I am back to where I know winter,

know where ice patches will precariously form,

know where the lake-effect snow will drift and dare the wintry walkers,

know where the plows will stack the compacted snow at one of four points of each intersection,

know where the north wind will challenge my standing firm at the curb,

know the depth and texture of the snow in which Willow may lose a pastel blue boot,

know when I must wear my Frozen Tundra layered garb,

know whom to call if DPW must do more for safety in the snow.

I am back to where I know winter,

the winter I need to ponder and imagine,

to create and slide with spellbound words.

In the bitter cold,

I am bittersweet;

for I am back to where I know winter,

back to where I know

how to throw a snowball packed firmly with

just the right words.

I am back to where I know winter,

where I know how to write

in this winter of my life,

where I can write,

where I write

with winter, Wisconsin, and Willow

in the palm of my double-gloved hand.

* * *

MUSICAL NOTE:  At the tail end of this old and challenging year, I want to give you a musical tale of good cheer to perk up your spirit for the new year.  As you celebrate tossing this old year away and reach gladly for 2021, please enjoy the following which dances along with my December Donkey theme on WORDWALK.  You may want to share the link below with some children in your family and/or circle of friends.

Dominick, The Italian Christmas Donkey – Lou Monte – YouTube

Bright wishes for a healthy and sparkling new year!

Cheers!

Alice and Leader Dog Willow

December 30, 2020, Wednesday

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