The following version of this poem was used to create this guide: Pearson, James A. "Wintering.” The Wilderness That Bears Your Name (Goat Trail Press, 2024).

Note that all parenthetical citations refer to the line number from which the quotation is taken.

"Wintering" by James A. Pearson is fundamentally a nature poem. The poet draws connections between trees shedding leaves and human withdrawal during times of struggle. Nature observation and personal introspection give way to the realization that periods of "wintering" are necessary for renewal. The process of arriving at this insight suggests that humans are in fact not separate from nature. Embracing seasonal cycles allows for a fuller and richer life.

In the poem, the trees prepare for winter by shedding their leaves and drawing their nutrient stores into their trunks and roots. Though they lose their most-admired qualities (namely, their beautiful leaves), this survival strategy allows for future growth. Likewise, human beings pass through periods of struggle and challenge. Moving one's focus inward and conserving energy allows for endurance. The promise of spring insinuates future ease, warmth, and growth.