in the pasture

On the first day of snow, when the white curtain of winter began to stream down, 

the house where i lived grew distant

and at first it seemed imperative to hurry home.

But later, not much later, I began to see

that soft snowbound house as i would always remember it, 

and i would linger a long time in the pasture, 

turning in circles, staring

at all the crisp, exciting, snow filled roads

that led away.

- Mary Oliver