Winter splendor in the Shenandoah Valley

The lane,
dusted with sugary snow,
  carves a path
 through mown fields.

Just over the hill they come,
    gazing at first,
then shoot forth in unison
      like frantic dancers,
their hooves and limbs churning
to lift their muscled bodies.

Swift passage
then stillness.

Candles flicker
 in the distance
 over the warm hearth 
as we draw near,
 the house and trees
 in silhouette
 against the evening sky.

Conversations rise up
 within us
   even before we reunite.
Such is the blessing of this family.
Such is the blessing of this time.