If You've Ever...

“are you crazy,”
the looks seem to shout.
“how can you stand
those harsh, cold winters
year after freezing year?”

i just smile at them—
these unknowing fools—
and pause for a moment
before I tell them about
exactly what they’re missing.

if you’ve ever seen
the clear and endless sea of
an electric blue sky
mere moments before
the coming of dawn;

if you’ve ever seen
the awesome beauty of
a cool, steely snow cloud
lit from below with
the fires of sunrise;

if you’ve ever seen
the beauty and
if you’ve ever felt
the awe,
then you’ll understand.

if you’ve ever seen
the majestic wonder of
a towering, snow-capped peak,
so close yet so very far away,
glittering in the early morning light;

if you’ve ever felt
the thrilling sting of cold and
glorious, soul-lifting freedom
of the crisp, cool air
as you glide through the sky;

if you’ve ever seen
the beauty and
if you’ve ever felt
the awe,
then you’ll understand.

if you’ve ever felt
that exhilarating rush of adrenaline
as you push your machine to go
faster and faster still
over the powdery trails;

if you’ve ever felt
the youthful excitement and
anxious anticipation of
rushing out to play
in the new fallen snow;

if you’ve ever seen
the beauty and
if you’ve ever felt
the awe,
then you’ll understand.

if you’ve ever seen
your breath,
moist and hot,
hanging in the sky like
a small, fragile cloud;

if you’ve ever seen
the clouds part after a storm,
giving way to the soft light
of a dazzling sunset that
reaffirms there is a Heaven;

if you’ve ever seen
the beauty and
if you’ve ever felt
the awe,
then you’ll understand.

if you’ve ever seen
the mysterious magic of
a fluffy white cloud,
its tail blurred as if
smudged by a large paintbrush;

if you’ve ever felt
the overwhelming awe of
watching the aurora
twist and move to
its own silent music;

if you’ve ever seen
the beauty and
if you’ve ever felt
the awe,
then you’ll understand.

if you’ve ever felt
the total peace and satisfaction
of laying back in the snow
and watching the endlessness of
the twinkling night stars;

if you’ve ever felt
the heart-stopping, exciting chill
of inhaling that
sweet, freezing air
into your warm lungs;

if you’ve ever seen
the beauty that surrounds us everyday and
if you’ve ever felt
the awe and contentment that touches your heart,
then you’ll understand why so many people love Alaska in winter.