Editor’s note: Newton resident David Goos wrote the following poem to recount his feelings on the relentless winter for 2018-19.
This winter has been especially hard and long,
it’s like mother nature wants to do us all wrong.
Now I’ve seen winters that had cold and snow,
but this crazy weather continues to blow!
I lived through the blizzard of 1973,
when the snowdrifts grew to the height of a tree.
There were 18 inches of snow that fell,
and school was closed for a week which was swell.
I’ve seen the north wind blow until the roads were shut,
and anyone who drove in it had to be a nut.
Yes, it gets cold in Iowa with temps down to 30 below,
but this year is different because the freeze just won’t go.
It started In November with colder than normal days,
which has stretched winter out and left us half-crazed.
There is simply no end in sight the weatherman said,
now Iowans like me want Phil the groundhog dead.
With all the slippery roads and icy conditions,
body shops have business beyond their wildest ambitions.
We’ve set records for snowfall that’s still on the ground,
which makes going number one tough on your hound.
This winter will certainly be one for the books,
as a story of hardship and bewildered looks.
So zip up your coat and put on your boots,
or just go all out with a snowmobile suit.
Who knows when it will end maybe June or July,
bundle up and stay warm so you don’t freeze and die.
David Goos
Newton