Winter Song
The woodstove howls like a banshee
for the copperhead I killed in the fall
when it crawled from my dream into my kitchen
and laid at the threshold of girl and crone
The washing machine hums like a bard
spins the tale of a black bear intruder
that left paw prints in my garden
fresh scat at my front porch door
Thoughts turn to poisoned confrontations
and boundaries that were crossed
I save seeds for Persephone and grieve for Pandora
whose box is unlocked but too heavy to bring home
From an icy window pane
I watch the moon’s unrocked cradle
No lullaby for the child left alone
I sleep on the floor by a sick friend’s bed
mark my territory with handwritten poems
The floorboards creak to the tick of time
and the sound of her still warm breathing
To a slow low beat of drum
I walk a labyrinth of pine boughs
made bright with lit candles
on the longest night of the year
Under a graveyard of stars
There is song and there is silence
a community remembrance
of future thresholds to cross
~ More dVerse poets participating in the Open Link Pub HERE.
December 28th, 2011 5:09 am
BEAUTIFUL, my dear Colleen….Really Beautiful anf Thoughtful, too—A ‘Deep Thoughts’ Poem, for sure.
December 28th, 2011 10:27 am
What a perfect poem. Captures that mood and season. Pat yourself on the back!
December 28th, 2011 11:01 am
love it
December 28th, 2011 12:32 pm
She stopped beathing on Winter Solstice Eve, a week ago today.
December 28th, 2011 8:16 pm
wow great visuals in this…yikes on the copperhead…nice on sitting by the sick friends bed…def sets a tone through out …very well written…
December 28th, 2011 9:46 pm
Fantastic poem!!! I absolutely love the rhythm and gentle rhyme.
December 28th, 2011 11:34 pm
What a beautiful and perfect poem! I love it! and of course you! xox
December 29th, 2011 11:25 am
very nice poem! i can relate to it since i am from the rural south.
happy 2012!
randel
December 29th, 2011 11:34 am
This is like a slideshow, its so visual, each frame a perfect image. That first stanza is hard to top, with fine writing all through.
December 29th, 2011 11:34 am
ha nice..much enjoyed your winter song..great imagery in there..think the part which touched me most was..
I sleep on the floor by a sick friend’s bed
mark my territory with handwritten poems
December 29th, 2011 12:18 pm
Coleen I love this, thanks so much.
December 29th, 2011 12:36 pm
Hi Florence, Because of the wind our candles didn’t exactly light up the spiral as in years past. I wrote those lines just before it and from past experience. When I got home from actually walking the spiral this year I discovered that Laurelsong had passed away at the same time we were gathering. I wrote this about a week before she passed after spending a night with her and reflecting on things I’ve been presented with this year that have stretched and deepened me.
December 29th, 2011 4:33 pm
Lovely poem. Nice rhythm.
December 29th, 2011 5:44 pm
the moon’s unrocked cradle… very nice…
December 29th, 2011 6:28 pm
What a beautiful poem and way in which to honor your friend’s passing. Wishing you all the best – and a new year filled with creativity and light!
December 29th, 2011 8:17 pm
[...] 10. The woodstove howls like a banshee / for the copperhead I killed in the fall / when it crawled from my dream into my kitchen / and laid at the threshold of girl and crone / The washing machine hums like a bard / spins the tale of a black bear intruder / that left paw prints in my garden / fresh scat at my front porch door / Thoughts turn to poisoned confrontations / and boundaries that were crossed / I save seeds for Persephone and grieve for Pandora / whose box is unlocked but too heavy to bring home … More HERE. [...]