Seasons Change - changing poetry for National Poetry Day

We've had another year of strange weather, including a very hot summer (we're not used to such things in Scotland!) definitely a year of climate change. I originally posted this poem back in June 2011 and am reposting it today for National Poetry Day. The theme of the Day this year is Change.

This poem is also relevant to the topic of change for two other reasons. Firstly, our mother has since passed away and I've rewritten the pome itself, you can read the updated version Weather Forecasting, here.  

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As posted in June 2011
 
Spring is happening earlier than it used to and real winters have returned to the UK. Our last two winters have had thick snow and ice across the country, after years of mild winters. I wrote this poem a few years ago, at the time I never thought we would see white winters again! And though I like to post things seasonally on this blog, I thought, that given the changing of our seasons, it would somehow be appropriate to post this winter poem at the beginning of summer.


Winter Garden

Even if you had first met my sister today
you would recognise her from this photo
from the early 70s. Wearing a flowery
anorak and a red bobble hat, she's holding
our mother's hand. Mum has a bad perm but
looks pretty much as she does now, just
younger. But the igloo wall in the suburban
garden deep in snow, you wouldn't believe
without the photo. This is Manchester,
England, half a lifetime ago.

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As ever, red text contains hyperlinks that take you to other pages where you can find out more.