For Marian’s prompt over at Real Toads – one word: sensation
Sleeting
the creek is still and reflects the bare winter trees.
the weather is bitter cold and sleet is falling –
circles over circles over circles
spreading about on the surface of the creek.
I wonder if the creek feels the sleet falling into it
the same way I feel sleet falling and hitting against my skin.
bits of cold fire sear my skin.
bits of ice making circles over circles
on my cheeks – the ice tapdancing against the fallen leaves.
bitter cold today.
spring-like Thursday.
The frogs are silent now.
I wonder where they are hiding
and if they feel the same sensation of ice falling
the same way I do.
kanzen sakura 
Feb 09, 2019 @ 22:59:15
Yours is interesting too, Toni. I liked all the contrasts. I couldn’t make head or tales of mine, just what came to my nutty mind. I might should change the last verse.
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Feb 10, 2019 @ 03:16:27
I think we’ve gone for the same kind of sensation, Toni – cold. I like that you’ve chosen the creek to convey the coldness with the echo of the ‘eek sound, even in the ‘bits of ice making circles over circles / on my cheeks’, and the silent frogs are echoes of Basho.
Feb 10, 2019 @ 05:09:39
I agree this is absolutely stunning and reminds me of work by Matsuo Bashō! Woww! ❤️
Feb 10, 2019 @ 06:42:19
I really like how you took the word ‘sleet’ and matched it with other -ee- and -ea- words. It adds an edge to the description of the cold.
Feb 10, 2019 @ 08:37:36
Ahhh, this is a really nice reflection. I’d like to be out in the woods today, in the ice and cold.
I was giggling to myself a bit reading this because I grew up pronouncing creek as “crick” so the rhymes don’t work for me. 🙂
Feb 10, 2019 @ 10:40:15
Thank you. There aren’t any intentional rhymes so crick works just fine! 😊
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Feb 10, 2019 @ 09:08:11
This is beautiful, Toni. I especially love this section:
“circles over circles over circles
spreading about on the surface of the creek.
I wonder if the creek feels the sleet falling into it”
Feb 10, 2019 @ 10:22:14
I really love the observation of the circles on circles… exactly the look of open water exposed to sleet.
Feb 10, 2019 @ 10:24:47
I wonder this to Toni. Your questions and reflections are a beautiful way of showing the feelings of sleet more clearly. I love this!
Feb 10, 2019 @ 10:46:42
I live in a part of Oregon that does not experience sleet often ~ I felt plenty of it growing up in the Midwest. I recall the sting, the bite. Now I experience what we call “corn snow” and it’s kind of fun.
Feb 10, 2019 @ 12:00:10
Toni, such a beautiful poem and photo. Is that creek on your property? So gorgeous in its winter blue.
Feb 10, 2019 @ 15:46:26
I really like this reflections. For I, too, often wonder if the rest of Nature feel things the way I do. I’m quite certain they might.
Feb 10, 2019 @ 17:24:51
For some reason my thought went to the Himalayas
Feb 10, 2019 @ 19:06:47
I wonder too if a creek feels the sleet falling into it. Perhaps it is thrilled to receive a gift of more moisture in whatever form. We have had a lot of the ice tapdancing here too. It has been a hard winter, but thankfully spring always comes. And it won’t be long before we will hear the frogs again.
Feb 10, 2019 @ 19:32:20
I almost reached for my coat while reading your poem. As eloquent and picturesque as always.
Feb 10, 2019 @ 20:18:12
You certainly created shivers of cold! Which is pretty amazing, as I am in the middle of a sweltering Aussie summer just now.
Feb 10, 2019 @ 20:39:25
Love your use of circles. They never end, do they? Beautiful poem, Toni!
Feb 10, 2019 @ 21:41:11
Love it! The visceral connect – beautifully articulated here.
Feb 11, 2019 @ 00:32:28
I love the sound of sleet on a quiet winter day. As I read this poem, I could feel those “bits of cold fire” on my face. Really enjoyed reading this poem!
Feb 11, 2019 @ 04:07:55
What a great picture you painted with your words, I expect the frogs are hibernating in the river’s bank somewhere. They might wake up soon Kanzen and start scavenging any insects they can find.
Feb 11, 2019 @ 04:30:56
I love the subtle repetitions which mirror the falling flakes – and there is a clever allusion to frogs and Spring
Feb 11, 2019 @ 12:09:29
chilling….loved how you have made the picture!
Feb 12, 2019 @ 01:23:42
If only nature could answer…