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Wednesday 4 February 2009

Snow




Leaves, macho once,
now with white fur hats
are doffing them to no one.


The house-bound
thrill to welcome
this new landscape




Grey light,
in visiting the snow,
replenishes itself.

Like dust sheets in reverse,
snow, spread everywhere,
has covered our untidiness.

The snow lies weightless,
calm and unfazed
by its transience.

Lamplight jounces off the snow
flooding the late evening
in a mimicry of day.

59 comments:

Shadow said...

inspiration! lovely poems for those lovely pics!

sribbler said...

lovely photos with suitable poem.. nice

Anonymous said...

My kind of poetry! Minimal, spurring visual. Also you introduced a new word to me which I'll have great fun finding opportunities to use. Is it all right to copy and use fully credited to you of course? So cleverly done and crafted, I'm full of praise!

Stephen Dell'Aria said...

Nice poem. I'm very struck by, Grey light, in visiting the snow, replenishes itself. When it snows, I think of Robert Frost. Now I will think of you.

Natalie said...

Gorgeous pics, Dave.xx

Dave King said...

Shadow
Lovely compliment, thanks!

justin Manas Prince Jaspher Ligin
Welcome to my blog and many thanks for making the trip. Glad you liked them.

Lizzie
Thanks for the comments. Yes, sure it's okay to use.

Stephen
Myself and Robert Frost in the same sentence. What more can a man want?

Natalie
Much thanks.

Noelle Dunn.... A Poet in Progress said...

Dave, such beauty and you say so much...and I do love how it covers the untidiness and the leaves macho once, now with fur hats...I love it....and it fits perfectly because once again we had snow in southtown! Move the south and it follows me! :)

The Weaver of Grass said...

Your photographs show that you have had about the same quantity as we have Dave. I like the way you have illustrated it with verse - there are some lovely images there.

nicole said...

This was wonderful, Dave- I awoke this morning and was greeted by the first (and possibly last) snowfall of the season. I soon found myself here to be greeted by your beautiful poem.
You are correct sir. Its all related.

My favorite verse is 'The snow lies weightless/calm and unfazed/by its transience.'I wish I was like that.

Thank you. Great morning!

Gaby Bee said...

Gorgeous pics and a lovely poem. Beautifully illustrated!
Gaby

Unknown said...

A line I love is "has covered our untidiness" because I can really relate to it. We have a wooded area behind our building but it is shared with 3 other complexes and one of them is owned by someone who just does not care about the planet because he dumps everything back there (tires, buckets, trash, it is awful). In the summer it is painfully obvious but right now under a nice blanket of white it is well hidden and looks lovely. Well, at least from inside the warm house!

ELAINE ERIG said...

HI DAVE! YESSS.
ENRAPTURED POEM ..SNOW..I MISSING SO MUCH.SINCE LAST MONTH (JE SUIS ICI DANS MA MAISON TROPICALE)
.
WHEN THE TRAVEL WILL OPEN HER WINGS FOR I FLY AGAIN

Leslie Avon Miller said...

Snow makes everything beautiful for a short while. I enjoyed the photos and as always, the words.

Conda Douglas said...

Gorgeous poems with beautiful pics. I always love how serene and calm, perhaps because of the quiet, snow makes me feel.

Tess Kincaid said...

Happy snow day to you! I heard you got quite the unusual dump. I do love how it beautifully covers our untidiness. Lovely poem and pix.

Linda Sue said...

My heart is about to explode- The transcience and the "just is-ness" of beautiful snow, the poetry, the photos and snow- wonderful- here and gone - just like us. February blogs are so DEEP it seems, weighty, thoughtful, heart exploding.

Fantastic Forrest said...

Loved the "white fur hats" - those images are some of my favorites in winter, and now I can name them, thanks to you, Dave.

I also really loved this:

"Like dust sheets in reverse,
snow, spread everywhere,
has covered our untidiness."

Great poem and pics to enrich my day!

SUSAN SONNEN said...

The snow lies weightless,
calm and unfazed
by its transience.


Oh, what a gift! To be able to just be and know that is enough.

This poem and the photographs are treasures.

Kelly Warren said...

Beautiful poem, Dave, and the photos are otherworldly for me, sitting here in sunny Florida, USA.

ArtistUnplugged said...

Both the photos and the poem is beautiful, very beautiful.

Bee said...

The beautiful dust sheets have come back off the furniture . . . and revealed that some of it should be thrown out or given to the charity shop.

Sadness of transience . . .

hope said...

I love the first stanza!

The pictures are lovely too. It snowed here today....for about 10 minutes. :)

mansuetude said...

i woke to a rare kiss of snow here too-- it does cover our mess...

love your words, so true about the light replenishing itself, i think it enters our own as well.

Janice Thomson said...

Delightful imagery in your poem for these beautiful photos.
Beautiful as it is I look forward to the warm sun.

Karen said...

I love the imagery, Dave. The dust sheets covering our untidiness and the hats that are not doffed stick with me. I know I'll think of that when I go outside on these cold, snowy days. Very nice!

Anonymous said...

"Lamplight jounces off the snow
flooding the late evening
in a mimicry of day"--ah, liquid images amidst a snow poem..putrefaction! Splendid piece. Are you sure you're not a hermetic scholar Mr.King?

Hurricane Me said...

very moving. the pics add another dimension.

Seth said...

Gorgeous photographs but it was your words which really captivated me!

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Fortunate fellow to have such snow!! And I love the poetic description!

Dave King said...

Elle
Welcome and thanks. It obviously like you; hope you like it!

Weaver of Grass
Thanks for stopping by and for the comment.

Moonshark
Thanks. I agree, that's the trick - to be like that. Great if you can pull it off!

Gaby Bee
Welcome and many thanks for stopping to comment.

Jenn
I must own up to a clutter of watering cans in one corner of the garden - blissfully out of sight most of the time, but now completely so!

High Desert Diva
Thanks again.

Elaine
Yes, thanks for that.

Leslie
Something about fresh snow - like a newly-made bed, I always think.

Conda
It does have that effect on most of us, I suppose. Thanks for the feedback.

Willow
Thanks for the comment. Much appreciated.

Linda Sue
Such generous remarks. Thanks indeed.

Fantastic Forrest
I have to admit that I enjoyed the white fir hats - but did wonder how many would. Thanks.

Susan
Absolutely, for me that is what poetry is all about.

Kelly
I do believe I envy you a little bit!

Artist Unplugged
Thanks for those kind words.

Bee
That, unfortunately, is all too inevitable!

Hope
Thanks. We have had a fresh fall in the night. 4-5 cm, nothing like the previous one.

Mansuetude
Yes, there is something strange about the half-light in snow, I think.

Janice
Well, I wouldn 't argue with that.

Karen
Thanks for the feedback. Always helpful

Clay
I'm not totally sure of anything. All, all is flux, my friend!

Hurricane me
Welcome and many thanks for the comment.

Seth
Yes, I have to say, the words came first, the photographs were but illustrations.

Pamela terry and Edward
Yes, it is something that does not come often.

Leon1234 said...

This was lovely, especially like the idea of the photos, helps me actually see what you are speaking about. Beautiful work! Please, continue sharing this beauty with us. :)

A Cuban In London said...

Loved both the poem and the pictures. Many thanks.

Greetings from London.

McGuire said...

We didn't get the snow blizzard I would hoping for up here in Glasgow, but it still snowed. I miss those stormy blizzards of winter. Where have they gone for now?

Nice pictures and sweet poems. Particular liked: 'mimicry of day' and 'The house-bound
thrill to welcome
this new landscape'

I love that cost feeling of being in a warm house and watching the cold snow stack up outside.

Mary Ellen said...

Looks like my yard - lovely photos and poem!

Unknown said...

Hi Dave,

There can't really be a need for my comments after all these, except to say that your words and pictures are great. Our white world is beautiful, if only it wouldn't cause such disruption!

Barry said...

Snow can be as beautiful and magical as your poem.

But as I shovel my driveway out for the thousandth time this winter, I find it has lost some of its charm.

Thank you for helping me see its beauty once again through your eyes.

Renee said...

I like that the trees no longer feel a need to be outdated (macho).

I see Salmon Rushdie is one of your favourite authors too. He writes so beautifully.

Love the pictures (you know who might steal them).

Love Renee

Anonymous said...

Just right for right now, Dave! I love the idea of 'dust sheets in reverse' and the 'lamplight that jounces off the snow'.

Art Durkee said...

I like the lanterns photo a lot, it's very cheery in a way; and the last photo has a very Japanese Winter Garden feel to it that I find very evocative and tranquil.

I'm struggling a bit with the poems. They're very haiku-like, yet use a personal voice which is your own, and not classically haiku-like. i think they work, I'm just getting hung up on some of the phrasings. I'm probably seeing them through the filters of my own similar poetry, so please don't receive anything I say very seriously. I'm probably overthinking this. Your poem that works best for me is next-to-last, about the snow lying weightless; that's a very good pair of images and thoughts.

Nicely done.

Lucas said...

The images of snow are absolutely delightful and the haiku that accompany them are very good. My favourite is the one about the weightlessness ... "unphased by its own transience". The truth of snow covering up our untidiness is accurate and the "dust sheet in reverse" image takes some thinking about: subtle. Great post!

Elizabeth said...

Such fat fluffy snow!
Yes the dust sheet image is fresh and wonderful.
And transience is such stunning word
For some reason snow is utterly enchanting and magic.
Weaver had a great snow poem too, as did Bee.
Maybe the internet will be the occasion for a resurgence of good occasional verse?

Roxana said...

beautiful! I like the way many blogs post about the snow at the same time and echo each other. My favourite stanza is
Grey light,
in visiting the snow,
replenishes itself.

It says all by itself. I agree about the haiku-feeling.

And the picture with the lanterns I like best...

Meri said...

I'm savoring the poem, but don't envy you the snow.

Akannie said...

Ah, Dave...

I adore black and white photos of ice and snow, as you've seen on my blog.
This poetry rang in my heart..it's always about perspective and reality, clashing head on.
I'm glad to know you, wordsmith!

xoxoxox

Marion McCready said...

Lovely pictures and poems, Dave. I've very jealous of all that snow!

Jim Murdoch said...

Think about dropping the first two stanzas, Dave. When I first opened this up I started reading with 'Grey light' and then I noticed the first two and they didn't seem to me to be necessary.

Noelle Dunn.... A Poet in Progress said...

You're fabulous, so if you'd like your award, stop by to pick it up.
Noelle

Tumblewords: said...

A glorious combination of words and photos. 'unfazed by its transcience' is profoundly stirring.

Crafty Green Poet said...

that's a lot of snow, wonderful photos!

Dave King said...

Leon
Many thanks for those very kind words

A Cuban in London
Weclome indeed - and thanks.

McGuire
I do so agree about the warm house and the cold snow. Thanks for the comments.

Mary Ellen
Thanks - the snow flatters it a bit!

Derrick
There's always a need for comment, even when it tallies with other comment. Always useful. Thanks for stopping by to make it. Yes, there's always a down side, isn't there?

Barry
I know what you mean, having had to clear paths and dig out the car. Thanks for commenting.

Renee
Yes, I do appreciate (some of) Salman.

Dick
Thanks for that.

Art
Thanks for the interesting comments re the poems. They are worth some serious consideration, I think.

Lucas
Your two choices seem to be becoming the popular choices. I think they are probably mine also, though I am too close at the moment to be sure.

Elizabeth
That's a cheering thought. It quite possibly could happen.

Roxana
Yes, that was the first one that occurred to me. I was struck by the strange light , brighter than it had been, towards evening as the light came off the snow.

Meri
It was inspirational at first, but it has hung around for long enough now!

Akannie
Welcome to my blog. I, too, adore black and white, though the black and white takes were unintentional. The camera was wrongly set. A happy accident.

Sorlil
I'll send you a snow parcel!

Jim
Thanks for that Jim, I'll have a look at them. The first one is actually a second version, and I had begun to think I preferred the original.

Elle
I owe you a tremendour apology. I have been meaning to drop by and leave you a note of explanation. I am so stretched at the moment getting round to all the blogs I wish to read, that I do not feel I can spare the time to set up more awards. I have been offered three more in the last week. There is another factor, too: They are beginning to slow the loading of the blog. I have therefore decided to cut my involvement with awards. Please do not think I am in any way unappreciative of your gesture - and certainly do not take it personally. The last thing I want to do is offend. My grateful thanks once more for thinking of me.

Tumblewords
Many thanks for the comment - all such gratefully received.

Crafty Green Poet
Too much just now - cue for more haiku?

Linda McGeary said...

Dave, it looks like you've been busy.
Need I repeat. Beautiful, visuals and audio, for poetry needs to be read out loud to be fully appreciated.
I love all the poets you've posted, but this is the first of your own.
I've been waiting.
It was worth it.

Douglas Florian said...

Nice pix and poems!
douglas

ceemee said...

Leaves, macho once,
now with white fur hats
are doffing them to no one.

I like these lines. The snow is like fur. Seemingly soft, but in truth are cold. Great pictures!

Just Jules said...

New snow = a clean quiet

Dave King said...

Linda
I do agree about the reading out loud - but not with my voice! (There is other stuff by me, if you click on the poetry label at the bottom of the post.) Thanks for commenting.

Poemhome
Comments much appreciated. Thanks.

Ceemee
Welcome to my log and my thanks to you for stopping by to comment.

It's Just Me
Like it, like it very much!

carole said...

You've had much more snow than we have.

Dave King said...

Carole
More than we know what to do with!
Welcome!

Anonymous said...

Your poetry never ceases to draw a sigh or shorten a breath. Often both. Thanks Dave.

Gerald (SK14) said...

"snow
has covered our untidiness"

how indeed it does - you asked where the snow was in Hyde - well I did take some pics of the snow and may post them at a later date - in general the photos on Hyde DP are often posted a week or sometimes months after they were taken.