Snow Bound, and other poems Part 4 From Volume II of The Works of John Greenleaf Whittier

In the opening poem a fierce December snow drifts over a remote New England homestead, sealing the house inside a warm glow of fire. The poet invites listeners into that cramped parlour where brothers, sisters, cousins and a wandering school‑master swap tales of wilderness adventures, hunting escapades and whispered superstitions while the storm rattles the windows. The vivid description of the crackling hearth and howling wind makes the listener feel the quiet urgency of a winter night when imagination becomes the only news.

The collection expands beyond that single evening, weaving together reverent hymns, playful verses about school days, and reflective pieces on nature’s cycles. Characters such as an eccentric young prophetess from New Hampshire and the family’s own colorful relatives add a touch of historical charm. Whether recalling the hush of falling snow or the bright promise of spring, each poem offers a compact, lyrical portrait that resonates with the rhythm of ordinary lives and the larger currents of faith and wonder.