Snowflakes

They aren’t actually all different.

That’s a myth that’s been busted. 

But it’s still a nice sentiment. 

And lack of originality 

Doesn’t make them any less impressive

Or powerful

Or beautiful. 

They fall in numbers

That are nearly impossible

To wrap our minds around. 

A volume so great that

If each and every

Human being

Who has ever been born

In the history of all time

Were to divide them up evenly

We’d each get 85,000 all to ourselves.

That’s enough for each of us

To make at least one 

Perfectly throwable

Snowball.

Maybe two.

And that’s just

One storm

In one city

In one day.

Their massive numbers and tiny size

Combine to drape a cloak

Of softness and quiet 

Over all the land. 

The blanket swallows up 

Sharp sounds and sharp edges alike.

And with the softening 

Comes a brightening.

They land and they look up 

At their Creator

And they find the light that can’t help

But seep through the layer

Of nimbostratus clouds above.

They find that light

And they give it right back

Reflecting it

Magnifying it

Celebrating it.

A gleaming chorus 

Ten quadrillion strong

And growing by the second. 

And as the grounded chorus shines its song 

Each new member of the growing ensemble

Dances its way across the sky

In a pattern choreographed

By Nature herself.