The Winter-Night Forest

They have embarked on a wild
and wicked rampage through
the frigid, silent forest under a
frozen sapphire sky, stars dangling
like precious jewels on the evening
dress of night. In the woods there
is light, shimmering pale and pink,
snow muffling the forest floor
reflecting the sky, the light-bloom
of nearby cities competing with
the heavenly bodies to illuminate
that great dome of the heavens. A
nasty, spiteful alliance prowls the
forest. Bare masts of naked trees
reach their dark limbs to the sky
as though imploring nature to call
off her servants of winter misery.
For it is wretched cold, sinister wind
and icily drizzling snow that celebrate
their freedom to inflict misery on all
living things, permeating the landscape
with the deadly reality of their malice.