Song For A Winter's Night
Sarah Mclachlan

The lamp is burning low upon my table top the snow is softly falling
The air is still within the silence of my room I hear your voice softly calling
If I could only have you near to breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love on this winter night with you

The smoke is rising in the shadows overhead my glass is almost empty
I read again between the lines upon the page the words of love you sent me
If I could know within my heart that you were lonely too
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love upon this winter night with you

The fire is dying now, my lamp is growing dim the shades of night are lifting
The morning light steals across my windowpane where webs of snow are drifting
If I could only have you near to breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love and to be once again with with you
To be once again with with you

I think this is one of the most beautiful songs I have heard. I think it is a great unconventional Christmas song since it is from her Christmas album New Christmas.

I love the images she evokes such as "webs of snow are drifting" and "smoke is rising in the shadows overhead."

I think that this song encapsulates the loneliness of winter while at the same time being a love song. There is lovely juxtaposition of these two elements, the loving/longing for another person mirrored against the winterscape. Even though this song/poem has sad undertones, since the speaker doesn't have what they want, there are still warm undertones, such as referencing a warm fire. This helps to paint the whole picture--of a person who is sleepless, missing their love, and actually seems to be enjoying the cold bleak of winter. The overall effect is mesmerizing and entrancing.

I especially enjoy how simply she puts her request of what would make her happy: "to hold the hands I love on this winters night." Sometimes just plainly saying something is the most poetic way to go.