Apocryphal stories have it that
Inuit people have hundreds of names
for different kinds of snow—
words corresponding to relative
wetness, temperature, color,
size, shape, texture.
So one might similarly imagine that
Pittsburghers have a great many names
for different kinds of gray skies—
words describing various
shades, humidities, brightnesses,
densities, elevations, moods.
Today, for example, is quiet
midsummer morning gray, windless
with no imminent threat of rain—
Yellower than midwinter gray,
portending mugginess and high heat
as the sun breaks through
and the day wears on.
Something like:
humidomidsummermorninggray.
©2025 Jim Magaw
