The Plague of Winter

Name: Colby Rouchka

Grade: 11th at Edwardsville High School

1st place Live Arts Contest

The Plague of Winter

As the brisk winds wash over the earth,

Death becomes abundant.

As the plague of winter courses upon him,

He knows this is the end.

For him, and many others like him, death comes slowly.

It is the same process each time:

First with the freezing of his creaking limbs,

Followed by the loss of his summer coat.

Soon the lifeless ground is covered with fallen leaves.

He is now left with but one leaf,

One small leaf holding him back from death.

And with a swift breeze, his anchor to life is gone.

As the balmy breeze returns to the earth,

Life becomes abundant.

As the blessing of spring reaches him,

He is brought back to life.

Colby Rouchka is a 17 year old junior at Edwardsville High School. Along with living in Illinois, Colby has lived in Missouri, Kansas, and Georgia. In his free time he enjoys reading science fiction and studying violin at the Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. After high school he plans to attend college to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.