The simile "lay down / to sleep like a snow-covered road / winding through pines" refers to-

the beauty of nature

death

Mother

life

The simile "lay down / to sleep like a snow-covered road / winding through pines" refers to - death. Author employs simile in order to compare his loneliness that was caused by death of his father to the loneliness that we can feel in cold winter walking down empty and deserted streets. In this way author makes a description of his feelings more emphatic and appealing to a reader.