Snow

Loreena McKennitt's song 'Snow' is a poetic and evocative portrayal of a winter landscape, capturing the serene and almost mystical quality of snowfall. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a world blanketed in white, where the usual hustle and bustle of life is muted by the gentle, persistent fall of snow. The imagery of 'white are the far-off plains' and 'the fading forests grow' sets the scene of a vast, quiet expanse, emphasizing the transformative power of snow on the environment.

The song delves into the sensory experience of winter, where the 'wind dies out along the height' and the snow 'falls down scarce audibly.' This creates a sense of stillness and peace, as if the world is taking a deep breath and pausing. The 'naked trees loom spectrally into the dim white sky,' suggesting a ghostly, otherworldly atmosphere. McKennitt's use of language evokes a dreamlike state, where the boundaries between reality and imagination blur.

As the song progresses, the silence is occasionally broken by the 'rustling runners and sharp bells' of a farmer's sleigh or the 'barking of a dog.' These sounds serve as reminders of life continuing amidst the quiet, yet they quickly fade back into the background, reinforcing the overwhelming presence of the snow. The final lines, 'the evening deepens and the grey folds closer earth and sky,' encapsulate the enveloping nature of winter, where the world seems 'shrouded, far away.' The song leaves the listener with a sense of introspection and tranquility, mirroring the quiet beauty of a snowy landscape.