Response to Campbell's poem

Different Side of the Lake

Campbell Parsons

As the wind brushed my cold cheeks
And as the snow crunches by each step I take
I feel something different
The Canadian winter is incredible

I have walked there in the summer
But on these cold days the lake shore feels different
Although the winter looks calm the creatures of the forest are still near by
The rabbit’s foot steps are lying in the light powder on the beach.
I feel something different
The forest still feels warm to me

As I walk along the beach I breathe in the fresh air
I feel the cold as the snowflakes fall upon my hair
I can only imagine the warmth of the hot chocolate I will drink later
But for now ill bask in natures great changes
I feel something different
I winter is such a different place
I could stay there forever

This poem is a lyrical ballad which tells a story about the poet’s experience at the lake. First, the expression of wind brushing is a unique idea to talk about the blowing wind. It was also a personification which made the poem more lyrical. Second, ‘the forest still feels warm to me’ set the contrast with other cold atmosphere. I could sympathize with my own experience, as I mention the warm heart amongst the coldness in my poem. I could imagine the different scene of Canadian summer and winter at the same time. I liked how the poet tried to apply the end rhyme (air and hair) at the last stanza. The repetition of “I” at the beginning of each line at the last stanza made the poem more flowing and rhythmical. More sensory adjectives of sight, sound, taste, feeling, and smell could have enhanced the reader to imagine the picturesque. In addition, the line saying ‘ I feel something different’ and ‘winter is such a different place’ is repeating the same idea twice. Explaining more about how it is different might be helpful.

-Comment by Molly Kim