colours of winter

winter may seem like a colourless season,
but the harshness allows the sparks of colour
to shine all the more brilliantly.

the vivid whiteness of the snow
easily contrasts an array of green:
forest, young trees, moss and lichens.

snow also has varied appearances:
hard-packed in snow sculptures at festivals,
soft and fluffy, tunnelled by animals,
or lined by nordic skiers.

red berries, warm orange bonfires,
yellow sun and stars,
deer stripping bark away to reveal light greens beneath,
blue skies that are purple at dusk.

winter may seem like a colourless season,
at first glance,
but after spending time with it, 
beside a skating pond, on a ski trail or slope,
or taking a nighttime stroll with tea and cocoa,
winter gets a chance to reveal
all its colours, all its life.

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