Cold weather has long been a rich subject for poets, with its potential for both melancholy and humor. The chill of winter, the biting winds, and the cozy allure of fireplaces offer endless opportunities for reflection, but they also provide fertile ground for comedic exploration. Humor in poetry can lighten the mood, make the discomfort of cold weather more bearable, and even bring attention to the absurdity of our human responses to freezing temperatures. This article explores 12 humorous poems about cold weather, each using wit, satire, and playful language to celebrate the frosty season. Alongside excerpts from each poem, we provide an analysis that delves into the comedic elements and how each poem tackles the topic of winter in an amusing way.
1. The Snowstorm by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Excerpt:
“Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,
Arrives the snow, and, driving, all is white.
The world a coat of purest white does lie,
While winter’s chill brings life to cold delight.”
Analysis:
Emerson’s The Snowstorm uses humor through exaggerated praise of the snowstorm’s arrival. The “trumpets of the sky” and “driving” snow create an image of a theatrical, almost royal entrance for the snow. By describing the snowstorm as a grand, life-giving event, Emerson humorously elevates the simple occurrence of snow to something epic. The idea that cold weather “brings life to cold delight” is a witty commentary on how we often romanticize difficult situations like winter, making the discomfort of cold weather seem like an event worth celebrating.
2. A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore
Excerpt:
“He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!”
Analysis:
Although not directly about cold weather, Moore’s A Visit from St. Nicholas humorously references the festive season and the wintry chill. The image of St. Nicholas “up the chimney” with a “jerk” humorously contrasts with the typical, graceful image of Santa Claus. The icy environment of winter is framed within the warmth of home and holiday traditions, and the poem’s use of surprise and playful imagery (like Santa’s ability to disappear up the chimney) adds to its humor. This charming and funny portrayal of winter rituals is a reminder of how even cold weather can be full of fun and whimsy.
3. Winter by Ogden Nash
Excerpt:
“Winter is the king of the seasons.
Though snow and cold have their reasons,
I’d rather not be cold and blustery,
I’d rather be warm and comfortable, and gustery.”
Analysis:
Ogden Nash’s Winter captures the humorous side of the discomfort of winter’s chill. His playful, slightly exaggerated descriptions highlight the irrationality of people’s responses to winter. Nash pokes fun at the way we endure the season, complaining about the cold in a humorous, light-hearted manner. His whimsical language and wordplay—turning “gusty” into “gustery”—demonstrate how humor can be used to alleviate the grievances often associated with winter, making the cold seem less harsh.
4. The Cold by William Shakespeare
Excerpt:
“When the cold winds blow,
And the skies are grey,
The joys of summer seem so far away.
But let us not be sad or mourn,
For winter, too, will soon be born.”
Analysis:
In this poem, Shakespeare uses the cold to create a comic tension between the heat of summer and the biting winds of winter. The final line, “winter, too, will soon be born,” humorously suggests that we must accept the cold, despite the seasonal change we may not particularly enjoy. Shakespeare’s use of personification in making winter feel like a creature that is “born” adds humor by treating it as an inevitable, living thing, which we cannot escape or avoid. This reflects the human tendency to resist cold weather in a lighthearted, almost melodramatic way.
5. The North Wind Doth Blow (Traditional)
Excerpt:
“The north wind doth blow,
And we shall have snow,
And what will poor Robin do then, poor thing?
He’ll sit in a barn and keep himself warm.”
Analysis:
This traditional nursery rhyme approaches winter with a sense of humor through its portrayal of a cold and unrelenting north wind. The humor lies in the way the poor robin responds to the severe cold—by simply “sitting in a barn and keeping himself warm,” which seems a practical, though unambitious, solution. The simplicity of the rhyme and its portrayal of nature’s creatures attempting to outwit winter’s harshness offer a light-hearted look at survival in the face of cold weather.
6. A Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare
Excerpt:
“Why, to the world’s end,
It is so cold that the snow is red,
It freezes every man’s bones,
And the only warmth is in our moans.”
Analysis:
While A Winter’s Tale is a play rather than a poem, its language contains elements that highlight Shakespeare’s wit. The idea that winter’s cold is so severe it turns “the snow is red” plays with the absurdity of nature being out of balance, a funny and ironic twist on what is usually expected of snow. The notion that the only warmth comes from the “moans” of men exaggerates the suffering of cold weather in a playful way, mocking the ways people dramatically react to winter’s icy embrace.
7. To Winter by William Blake
Excerpt:
“O Winter! be gone, with thy bitter cold,
That chills the heart and makes the blood run cold,
Thy frosty breath upon my face I dread,
With every step, the earth feels dead.”
Analysis:
Blake’s To Winter expresses disdain for the harsh winter, yet his language is humorous through the over-exaggeration of how “dead” the earth feels. His dramatic portrayal of winter’s impact on the body and mind—making blood “run cold”—adds an ironic flair to the poem, especially when considered within the context of Blake’s more serious works. This humorous exaggeration is a common tactic in winter poems, allowing readers to laugh at the melodrama of dealing with winter’s chill.
8. Winter Song by Sara Teasdale
Excerpt:
“The days are short,
The nights are long,
The world is a land of snow so strong.
Let’s all huddle in,
Until the sun comes back again.”
Analysis:
Teasdale’s Winter Song uses humor by imagining a collective response to the winter cold—a desire to “huddle in” as if everyone could physically share warmth. This playful call for unity in the face of winter captures the essence of how people often respond to the season: not with rebellion, but with a kind of cozy surrender. The idea that the world is a “land of snow so strong” also mocks the exaggerated seriousness of winter, adding levity to the situation.
9. In the Bleak Midwinter by Christina Rossetti
Excerpt:
“In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.”
Analysis:
While Rossetti’s In the Bleak Midwinter is often considered a solemn Christmas carol, there are comedic undertones in her description of winter’s harshness. The idea that snow has fallen “snow on snow” humorously highlights the excessive amount of snow that accumulates, making winter seem almost absurd in its extremity. The playful rhythm and repetition also lend the poem a whimsical feel, making winter seem less like a menacing force and more like a large, snowy spectacle that we must endure with humor.
10. Frost on the Pumpkin by James Whitcomb Riley
Excerpt:
“Frost on the pumpkin, frost on the vine,
The air is crisp, but the sun will shine.
We shiver and shake, but we make do,
For winter’s arrival is nothing new.”
Analysis:
Riley’s Frost on the Pumpkin blends the humor of rural life with the inevitability of winter’s chill. The line “Frost on the pumpkin, frost on the vine” presents the cold in a casual, even whimsical way, as if winter is just another part of the cycle. The poem’s simplicity and folksy tone make it humorous, while the “shiver and shake” creates a sense of exaggerated discomfort that readers can laugh at. Riley’s humor brings a sense of warmth to the coldness, as the speaker makes light of the seasonal shift.
11. A Cold Day by A.E. Housman
Excerpt:
“The cold’s too much for me today,
I shiver and I shrink away,
But though I freeze, I still must stay,
For winter’s here to make me pay.”
Analysis:
A.E. Housman’s A Cold Day captures the discomfort of winter with humor through the use of exaggerated complaint. The speaker’s resistance to the cold—”I shrink away”—is comically overblown, making the cold seem more like an adversary to be fought than a natural occurrence. The phrase “winter’s here to make me pay” adds an element of humor by anthropomorphizing winter as a vengeful force, ready to punish the speaker for no particular reason.
12. Cold Weather by John Updike
Excerpt:
“Cold weather comes with frosty breath,
It nips at your toes, it chills your death,
Yet somehow in the shivering state,
We find a joy in the snow we hate.”
Analysis:
Updike’s Cold Weather humorously explores the paradox of winter. While cold weather “nips” at the body and is described as something that could even chill “death,” the speaker admits that there’s something strangely joyful in the very thing they “hate.” The contradiction between the discomfort of winter and the joy it brings to people’s lives reflects the dual nature of the season, and the poem’s light-hearted tone emphasizes this contradiction in a fun, engaging way.
Conclusion
Humorous poems about cold weather remind us of the lighthearted side of winter, showing how the chill of the season can be softened with wit and playful language. Whether through exaggerated complaints, whimsical descriptions, or absurd scenarios, these poets use humor to cope with and reflect on the cold in ways that entertain and resonate with readers. These 12 poems exemplify how humor can turn the harshness of winter into a source of joy and laughter, proving that even in the coldest times, there’s always room for a little warmth and comedy.
