Enchanting Spirals

It's one of those gloom days we know
to associate with late fall. House
interiors are dark as though perpetual
dusk has arrived not merely shorter
daylight hours. Venture out of doors
and you're assailed by blustery winds
and the temperature grudges bumping
up beyond freezing. Yet everyone you
come across walking in the streets hosts
a conspiratorial smile, a wink and  a nod
as though they've just had good news
and think it's worth celebrating. Oh
yes, of course, it's snowing, the first
full-day snow of oncoming winter, a
symbol that it's on the way to becoming
a daily expectation, so prepare and be
forewarned. Yes, all right, message
duly received, but why all the smug
smiles, do all these people in their very
mature years imagine themselves to be
children, the season heralding that
most colourful of holidays and gift
giving, sleds, skates and winter slides
impromptu igloos and gleeful snowmen?
Guess that's it; incomprehensible to
anyone whose earliest memories are
just such as those that yearly come
back in a flood of recalled happiness.