Footprints in the snow
Lovers' kiss under the mistletoe
On the tree, the lights do shine
Once again, it is Christmas time

In the church, the sound of a choir
While up above, the moon climbs higher
Stockings hanging, gifts all wrapped
The sound of Santa, sleigh all stacked

Carrots for Rudolph, a sherry for Gran
A bottle of something for Uncle Stan
As midnight approaches, the world falls asleep
And in the morning, the snow will be deep

No more shopping; those socks will do
Nobody will guess what I got for you
As Christmas approaches, a new year awaits
Wise men wondering what stars hold their fate.
Photo of a snow meadow with footprints in the snow.
Can you see footprints in the snow?

Did you see some Corgis playing in the snow in the above video? I wonder who they are?

I used the ‘Verse’ block rather than the paragraph block for my poem. I think it gives poetry a much better look on a blog post.

Do you use the ‘Verse’ block if you’re a poet and publish poetry on your blog?

I’m not a lover of poetry. It’s one of the most complex forms of writing that eludes me. Yet, ‘Footprints In The Snow’ was among my earliest posts on Hugh’s Views And News.

It got a few likes and comments, so I thought I’d give it another airing, given that my blog now has a broader audience.

Since ‘Footprints In The Snow’ was published in December 2014, my poetry cogs have remained frozen. Not even summer heatwaves have thawed them.

Poetry, quite simply, remains a mystery to me.

What do you find most challenging to write?

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80 responses to “Footprints In The Snow – A Poem For Christmas”

  1. The Amethyst Lamb avatar

    A very charming and festive poem! 😊

  2. Marsha avatar

    Hugh, I love your poem and the snowy video, too. I’m actually enjoying a poetry phase in my life right now. I’m trying to keep up with Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday because I love her 24-season challenge. The hardest thing for me to write is something like “Write Photo” or Flash Fiction to someone else’s challenge. I think it is so hard for me because my brain often makes no connections. I look for synapses, and none exist.

    Years ago, my dad took lots of Teddy Bear pictures and wanted me to write stories about them. I tried and tried, but nothing came out. Sometimes, I can write something after reading someone else’s story that primes my pump. But over 30 years ago, I didn’t have any blogging friends who inspired me to write.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      I’m not keen on writing or reading poetry, Marsha. It just does not seem to interest me in the slightest.

      Although I write a lot of flash fiction, prompts do not always work for me. I can sometimes draw a blank with a prompt, but I don’t force myself to write anything and just let it pass by.

      I can always tell when a post has been forced-written. They often lack the quality of posts that have been written passionately by the same blogger. I’ve also witnessed bloggers changing from writing and publishing one or two posts a week to publishing daily. The quality of those posts often decline.

      1. Marsha avatar

        I can’t write posts each day. I can’t keep up. Two a week is a good number for me, three when I have to. You are so right about the quality of the post going down.

        BTW, I’m super mad at you. After reading your post yesterday, my blog woke me up at 2:00 am. I started deleting pictures and posts. Who know how much havoc I made. I had some really sorry photography, and some bad writing there. A lot of it is just irrelevant. But it’s all the fault of the post you wrote. Talk about motivating! I now have 5.4 GB used instead of 5.5/13. Wahoo!

        1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

          Good to hear, Marsha. SEOs such as Google also rank blogs lower if they have out of date information on them. Freeing up all that space also gives me the same feeling I get whenever I declutter a room/cupboard or drawer.

          1. Marsha avatar

            Exactly. I have plenty of space on my blog because I have decluttered my photos to some extent. My posts don’t have a lot of information on them like yours do. They are more personal and lots of challenges.

  3. Did You Miss Any Of These? Monthly Round-Up - December 2023 avatar

    […] Footprints In The Snow – A Poem For Christmas […]

  4. carolinepalmer45 avatar

    I really enjoyed this piece. The most challenging form of writing I find, is fictional work.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for also answering the question I asked.

  5. Brenda avatar

    Hi Hugh. I liked your poem – pity we didn’t get any snow this year – not far enough north :(

    Ive not really tried writing poetry since my school days; I might give it a go sometime but its not the top of my list of priorities.

    Hope you had a good Christmas, and all the best for the New Year. :)

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Another wet, mild, green Christmas, Brenda. I saw that some parts of Scotland did have a white Christmas, though.

      Poetry is an art that still eludes me. Something I can neither write or read. But maybe 2024 will change that. We will see.

      Season’s Greetings to you.

  6. Anuran & Sayoni avatar

    It is beautiful how different ingredients of life have contributed to bring out the charm of Christmas in this poem.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Thank you. That’s lovely feedback about my poem. You can probably tell from my poem that it’s my favourite time of the year.

      1. Anuran & Sayoni avatar

        Thank you so much sir 🙏😌

  7. MsHazyBrain avatar
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Thank you. May I ask what it is that you love about it? Feedback is always appreciated.

  8. Cheyenne MacMasters avatar

    Thanks for the Verse block option. Hopefully that will keep my verses centered when viewed on a phone.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      You’re welcome. The Verse block does have a toolbar that has an option for centring text to the left, right or centre.

  9. Eugi avatar

    Hugh, your poem captures the Christmas spirit beautifully and has a lovely rhythm and rhyme to it. Poetry, IMO, is in the eye of the creator because we are expressing ourselves and not necessarily wanting to appeal to the reader. My poetry varies depending on my mood, and also if I am responding to a prompt. I don’t care for the verse block when I write poems and prefer the paragraph block. I admire you for trying something different than your norm. Happy Holidays to you and yours.💟

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Thank you, Eugi.

      Somebody else mentioned that their poetry depended on their mood. I don’t know what kind of mood I was in when I wrote the poem in this post nine years ago. It’s eluded me since then. But who knows? Perhaps it may come back one day.

      Merry Christmas.

      1. Eugi avatar

        Hopefully it will, Hugh. Poetry doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s a reflection of you. Your poem is beautifully written and I hope you write more.

        Merry Christmas to you too.

  10. Michelle (Boomer Eco Crusader) avatar

    I find fiction writing in general to be very difficult. I have tried my hand at poetry once or twice but it doesn’t come naturally to me. Lately, I have been challenging myself to try different forms of writing.

    Thanks for telling me about the verse block. I published one of my poems on my blog and just typed it as a paragraph!

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      That’s good to hear that you are challenging yourself with your writing, Michelle. Keep at it. It’s good to wander outside of our comfort zones every now and again.

      I do like the Verse block. I think it gives poetry a much better look and feel than when using the paragraph block.

      1. Michelle (Boomer Eco Crusader) avatar

        I might have to go back and update my couple of posts with poems in them! As always, I learn something from every one of your posts.

        Have a Merry Christmas and all the best for the new year, Hugh!

        1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

          Thank you, Michelle.

          Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you.

  11. TanGental avatar

    Verse block? Oh heck and derision why did I not know this? I do write some poetry and I do publish some and yours looks far better than mine. Where would I be without H Roberts esq? Off I go after this, to rummage in the WP toolbox, ignore the spanner and hammer blocks and find it.
    Poetry is hard. Like one commentator poetry comes to me. All other writing I can usually generate by sitting still and focusing on something but poetry doesn’t work like that (I don’t count limericks – you can squeeze them out). I think that might be because each word carries huge weight in poetry unlike any sort of prose. It’s the same issue with word limited flash and why I relish the 99 word challenges (because they allow just enough freedom to be wrong in one’s choices) but nothing shorter.
    Is poetry the most difficult thing to write for me? No that’s writing for children. I have never felt like I know how to balance that – between permitting understanding and avoiding patronising.
    And yours? Its a small delight. You need to work on the meter to make it scan better when you read it out loud but the sentiments and phrasing work in context.
    Merry Xmas to you and John. Be lovely to find a way to meet up next year. Let’s see what the year holds.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      I hope you found the ‘Verse’ block, Geoff. If not, search for it with the ‘block’ search bar.

      Thank you for the information on poetry. I don’t think I’ll be writing anymore, although I probably should never say ‘never.’

      I did read the poem out load several times, and I must admit that I thought the last line did not fit as well as the others did. I tried different versions, but the one I went with felt the best. I’m just glad that the poem in this post survived my nine years of not deleting it.

      And thanks for sharing details of what you find the most difficult to write. I have written for Children and been told I should have written a children’s book, but I lack the interest to do so.

      Merry Christmas to you and the family. Hopefully, see you sometime in 2024.

      1. TanGental avatar

        Yes found it! Now I just need to work out how to change the font…

        1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

          You’ll find that information in the settings section of the block on the righthand side of the drafts page.

          1. TanGental avatar

            You’re a national treasure

  12. Mthobisi Magagula avatar

    Fascinating and great blog post Hugh. Oh man, Christmas is 5 days away and that is an indicator that the year has finished.

    I love the poem by the way man and yes the jingle bells and Christmas lights and decorations are a sign that Xmas is already here. Wishing you a Merry Festive Season🔥🌲🌲🍾💯💯🎂

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed reading my bit of festive poetry, Mthobisi.

      Seasons Greeting to you.

  13. Janis @ RetirementallyChallenged.com avatar

    Lovely poem, Hugh. I write poetry every once in a while, but it tends to be on the whimsical side (not great, but whimsical). At one time I had fun writing different lyrics for popular songs. Weird Al had nothing to be worried about, but it was fun.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      You know, I’ve always admired those who write song lyrics, Janice. That’s something I’ve never attempted. I wouldn’t even know where to start.

      Carry on with writing the poetry. It sounds as if it’s something you enjoy writing.

  14. graysummers avatar

    The poem has the ingredients of what we love about the Christmas magic. Warmth envelops on reading your well written poetic words here, because they hold a loved and comforting familiarity. And, yes, I do hope for snow here in Wales too on this coming Christmas Day. All the best Hugh and thank you.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed reading this one-off poem from me. Who knows if 2024 will bring more poetry from me. I’m not counting on it, though.

      From what I heard this morning on the radio, it’s going to be another wet, mild, Welsh Christmas. Still, it won’t stop the festive fun.

      Merry Christmas to you.

      1. graysummers avatar

        Thank you for the reply. I am mid west area near the coast, which seldom sees snow. When the snowflakes do fall…….they really fall in abundance. It’s good to express in poetry. You do well in this arena. Cheers and Merry Christmas to you too.

  15. JT Twissel avatar

    An excellent poem from someone claiming not to be a poet! It could easily be sent to music. Corgis in the snow are almost as much fun as basset hounds!

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      I’ve never seen a dog not enjoy playing in the snow. They all seem to enjoy bouncing around in it.

      Nope, I’m not a poet. The poem in this post is a one-off from me.

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