Among Nature’s chief works, fresh fallen snow
In color white, how draped she beams so bright,
As the light in a Derby canvas. Oh,
How the alchemist shines from yonder light!
Even in less somber hues, the power
Of a carpet basking in broad daylight

Blinds, yet the barn owl sees a mole cower.
This is the bold veil of gleaming disguise!

If sun-like dazzles more than this world’s ploys,

What must holly and berries withal show?
That whereas Winter honors Beauty’s poise,
He stuns with light, making creation flow!
When o’er wintry nights, a star forecast joy—

That then, and now so: Hark! Herald! New snow

Biography:

I have been teaching college English literature and composition courses since 2010, and began teaching at Aims in January of 2018. I started writing poetry in grade school, and I took poetry and poetics courses as an undergrad and grad student majoring in literary studies. My scholarship focuses on Renaissance poetry and drama, Shakespeare, and contemporary poetry. My poems are regularly published in peer-reviewed journals, popular magazines, and newspapers, and I write reviews, many of which are of new works by poets, for the Rocky Mountain MLA and other literary groups’ publications. However, I am honored and delighted to have my work selected to appear in The Aims Review. The sonnet is my favorite poetic form, and I wrote one of my four doctoral exams about the sonnet genre. In this poem, the literal topic is snow, but it also contains figurative, metaphorical, and allegorical elements that expand its meaning. I wanted the reader to follow a narrative that spurs discovery and sparks reflection.