Editor’s Note: Recently, Lake City native Evan Nelson was honored to have a poem that he wrote published in a regional magazine in Idaho. Nelson was happy to share the poem with the Journal and the story behind it.
About the Poem from the Poet
I wrote “Winter’s Grip” a couple of years ago after listening to people complain about winter and realizing how differently I see that season. Living in Idaho, I’ve had countless winter experiences that showed me there’s far more beauty in the cold and snow than most people stop to notice. The poem grew out of those moments, starting with wildlife and scenery and eventually expanding to include the way winter truly begins long before the first snowfall, especially for farmers and the land itself.
In October 2025, I came across a call for writers from a new quarterly magazine called Seasons of the 208, which focuses on the outdoors in Idaho. By chance, they were looking for a poem about winter. I submitted mine, expanded it at their request, and was honored to see it published—something that really hit home when I spotted the magazine on the shelf at Barnes & Noble with my poem featured on its own page.
“Seasons of the 208” is available for purchase or subscription at www.seasonsofthe208.com.
Winter’s Grip
By Evan Nelson
Fall has drifted into the past.
Hard to believe time goes so fast.
Now snowflakes outside softly fall.
The crisp notes of winter’s call.
Farmers have harvested the last of their crops.
Heavy clouds obscure the mountain tops.
Bears and snakes journey to their dens.
An Idaho winter begins once again.
Migrating birds voyaged south in late autumn.
Fish descended deeper in the water column.
Deer, elk, and pronghorn on feeding grounds bond.
Moose wade quietly in steam shrouded ponds.
The sagebrush transforms into a sea of white.
Stars at night shine clear and bright.
Under the northern lights, ice choked rivers flow.
And pine boughs droop heavily with snow.
Tall mountain peaks supervise this frigid frontier.
Where still water freezes solid and clear.
Warmer days will come without fail.
But for now the colder temperatures will prevail.
Winter has once again arrived across the land.
As we take it all in, we can finally understand.
There is beauty here in Mother Nature’s craftsmanship.
Let this feeling take hold, and learn to embrace winter’s grip.
