Snow Tom Sharp

It snowed on New Year’s Eve but in the morning it was clear, so I could finally leave Weizhou. The cold blew away my horse’s dream and cleared my head from all the wine I drank the night before. Green onion flowered in the morning light. I got off my horse to drink in a field. Wind blew the scapes in circles. This was when snowflakes began to fly again. Snow stuck to my horse’s mane so it seemed that I rode a white phoenix. Three years of drought had driven the poor off the land to live in shacks on the village outskirts. Old farmers had nothing to eat except the tears they shed in their fields. Although the snow was late, it let them plant spring wheat and anticipate full stomachs. Although it made my journey hard, a good year begins with snow and frost. So I wouldn’t dare to complain about it.

除夜大雪留潍州，元日早晴，遂行，中途雪复作 苏轼

除夜雪相留，元日晴相送。 东风吹宿酒，瘦马兀残梦。 葱昽晓光开，旋转余花弄。 下马成野酌，佳哉谁与共。 须臾晚云合，乱洒无缺空。 鹅毛垂马鬃，自怪骑白凤。 三年东方旱，逃户连欹栋。 老农释耒叹，泪入饥肠痛。 春雪虽云晚，春麦犹可种。 敢怨行役劳，助尔歌饭瓮。