All mountains are again covered with snow, the rains glazed the snow, and clothed the trees with ice. The shrill sound between pine trees echoed as snow falls from the wounded trees, in twinkling drops.
The time is wild solitudes, yet beautiful as wild with the sound of Symphony # 5, C sharp minor of Gustav Mahler, and with the Symphony No.9, “From the New World” of Dvorak. My spirit beats unsteadily with strange fluttering and expectation of coming Spring.
Chants of birds, swiftly tiptoeing on the frozen snow of squirrels in the backyard, and the chime of brooks, soft caress of the fresh sylvan air broke my peace.
When I stood in Nature’s loneliness, I was with phantom of love, who never had a frown for me.
Through the wildered fancy dreams of sprouting fountains frozen as they rose.
Winter boasts splendors beyond what gorgeous summer knows; Or autumn, with his many fruits, and woods all flushed with hues.
Shopping on Christmas and a new year eve at the Woodbury Premium Outlet usually invites thousands of shoppers around the world, regardless of cold winter winds. However this year due to COVID 19 and slower economy parking lots are completely empty. I wish this bitter cold with snow could destroy all the roots of COVID pandemic virus. For me the cold winter winds remind me of my bitter winter in Chicago.
Winter was a phantom of hatred that made me walk on barefoot in my childhood in Hyangjeong Dong, Choam, Hwaseong, Western part of South Korea.
Winter here in Catskill a phantom of opera, like an angel in comparison.
Hubert Hojae Lee, Ph.d
Korean American Foundation (www.kafusany.com)
A member of Presidential Advisory Board of RNC.
In the region of Catskill Mountain, January 4, 2021.