Twelve Hokku on a Canadian Theme 6 — Summary

Louise Morey Bowman compares snowshoes to “strong wings” fastened onto the feet of people who set out across deep snow. Far from seeing winter as a hardship, the speaker turns it into a kind of triumph: the snowshoer becomes a victor, and the snowy landscape is something to be conquered. That single image of wings on feet gives the whole scene a feeling of lightness, power, and movement, as if walking on snow were a form of flying. The mood is bold and exhilarating rather than cold or bleak. There is real admiration here for human effort and for the cleverness of the snowshoe itself, which lets people travel where they would otherwise sink. The short lines keep the thought crisp, like a breath of sharp winter air, but the feeling is warm with confidence and pride.