Christmas Poetry Unit - Lesson 6 - Winter Time Worksheet

In the poem "Winter-Time" by Robert Louis Stevenson, the essence of the wintry season is captured through vivid imagery and a sense of personal experience. Stevenson describes the late sunrise of the winter sun as a 'frosty, fiery sleepy-head' that briefly lights up the sky before setting again, likened to a 'blood-red orange'. The poem conveys the chill of the early morning when the stars are still visible, and the speaker rises in the darkness, feeling the bite of the cold as they dress by candlelight. This intimate encounter with the cold season's harshness is offset by the warmth and comfort found beside a cheerful fire.

The speaker in the poem continues to explore the winter landscape, both inside and out. Outdoors, they are bundled up by a nurse in a comforter and cap to brave the biting cold wind that seems to 'burn' the face and sends a 'frosty pepper' up the nose. The imagery Stevenson uses is striking, with the black footprints on the 'silver sod' and the frosty breath visible in the air, suggesting a world transformed by winter's touch. Everything, from the trees and houses to the hills and lakes, is described as being frosted 'like a wedding-cake', presenting a picturesque scene that is both beautiful and cold. This poem, part of a Christmas Poetry Unit, provides a platform for exploring the sensory details and emotional responses evoked by the winter season.