Pat Hague's speaker sits indoors on the coldest days of the year, safe from the wind and rain, and looks out at a garden that feels bleak and empty. Time seems to stand still, and with hours to fill, there is little to do but stare. The scene outside is heavy with stillness: the earth sleeps, bare black trees seem to dream of summer, water trickles through mud and stone, and low clouds press down on everything.
The mood begins as quiet, bored and a little gloomy, with a sense of waiting for better weather. Then the poem turns. The word "But" introduces the birds arriving for food, and the tone lightens. The pigeons are "pompous" and the tits "playful," which gives them real personality and a touch of humour. The speaker doesn't say they feel cheered up, but the shift in language suggests that these small, lively visitors bring some warmth to a dull winter day.