A meditation from the Kettle Moraine
By Charles M. Sumid
Copyright 2025

The trail already white
from last week’s storm,
my footfalls muffled
to whispers, breath
showing in small clouds
that hang briefly
in the still air.

Then it starts. First
a few scouts, then
the full quiet gathering
of snow beginning
its work of softening,
each flake a tiny blessing
lifting unneeded
sounds from the world.

The woods draw inward.
That steady winter static,
wind in bare branches,
distant traffic on County H,
my own breathing,
all of it dims
like someone turning
down the world’s volume
one notch at a time.

I find myself running softer,
matching the snow’s
gentle arrival,
my feet learning
its language of hush,
slowing without thought.

And then I hear it.

Snow landing on oak leaves.
The ones that linger
with their cousins gone,
brown and curled
but holding through
December, January,
waiting for spring’s
permission to let go.

They rattle their defiance
in November wind, but now—
now they receive the snow
like a whispered secret.

Each flake makes
its own announcement.
The sound of arrival
so soft it exists
only in the space
between heartbeats.

I stop running.
Stand completely still.

The snow builds
its shelter of quiet
around me, and I become
a congregation of one,
listening to whispers
delivered in the smallest
imaginable voice.

My breathing slows
to match the falling
snow’s rhythm.
In this hush,
I can hear
my own pulse
in my ears,
the snow’s settling
weight on shoulders,
the oak leaves
holding their burden
of white,
accepting weight
they never asked to carry.

Each sound smaller
than the last,
until listening itself
becomes the prayer.

For permissions, to share or cite my work, or thoughtful inquiries, contact me at xcharlizes@gmail.com.
This gallery is a quiet space—no data is collected, no cookies are placed, no visitors are tracked.
All content © Charles M. Sumid, [2025]. All rights reserved. This includes all poetry, essays, analyses, and accompanying commentary. Use of this work does not transfer copyright or intellectual property rights.