Snow Robert Frost

The three stood listening to a fresh access
Of wind that caught against the house a moment,
Gulped snow, and then blew free again––the Coles
Dressed, but dishevelled from some hours of sleep,
Meserve belittled in the great skin coat he wore.

Meserve was first to speak. He pointed backward
Over his shoulder with his pipe-stem, saying,
“You can just see it glancing off the roof
Making a great scroll upward toward the sky,
Long enough for recording all our names on.––
I think I’ll just call up my wife and tell her
I’m here––so far––and starting on again.
I’ll call her softly so that if she’s wise
And gone to sleep, she needn’t wake to answer.”
Three times he barely stirred the bell, then listened.
“Why, Lett, still up? Lett, I’m at Cole’s. I’m late.
I called you up to say Good-night from here
Before I went to say Good-morning there.––
I thought I would.––I know, but, Lett––I know––
I could, but what’s the sense? The rest won’t be
So bad.––Give me an hour for it.––Ho, ho,
Three hours to here! But that was all up hill;
The rest is down.––Why no, no, not a wallow:
They kept their heads and took their time to it
Like darlings, both of them. They’re in the barn.––
My dear, I’m coming just the same. I didn’t
Call you to ask you to invite me home.––”
He lingered for some word she wouldn’t say,
Said it at last himself, “Good-night,” and then,
Getting no answer, closed the telephone.
The three stood in the lamplight round the table
With lowered eyes a moment till he said,
“I’ll just see how the horses are.”