between twisted slats of blind
and sleep-encrusted lids
bright celandine rays of early morning sun
disperse penumbrae
in a flutter of feathers
no cooing on the telephone wire
in the margin
above a line of silver birches
a single lingering star
flirts with the crescent moon
birdsong ripples in liquid silence
and so the aubade begins
Kim M. Russell, 5th April 2017
Image found on pixy.org
On day 5 of The Poetry School’s NaPoWriMo prompts, we are writing aubades.
An aubade is a poem addressing the break of day. A traditional aubade often featured the parting of lovers, but ours doesn’t have to. It also doesn’t have to be an ode to the morning; morning can arrive quite gently or tangentially in our poems — but it has to be there.
Also linked to What’s Going On? on 14th February 2024.
writing in north norfolk 
I love waking to the sun rise.
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Thanks for reading and commenting, Joseph.
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This is GORGEOUS.
You are an exceptional poet, Kim.
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Thank you so much, Shawna, that is so kind.
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I like the feeling of slats and lines that you maintain throughout.
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Thank you, Janice!
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Excellent! 😎🌹🌹🌹
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Thank you so much, Dorna!
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This is such a peaceful and calming piece, Kim. “bright celandine rays of early morning sun” this is like a painting. Beautiful.
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Thank you, Sumana!
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This is such a lovely poem – the moments just before the morning song, captured.
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Thank you so much, Sherry!
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“a single lingering star” – This is a great linee o and gives that feeling of hope from the night to the dawn. Thank you.
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Thank you for reading and commenting, Alan!
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This poem has such beautiful imagery, one that I can read again and again and feel a sense of peace!
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Thank you, Mary!
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First ” . . . disperse penumbrae
in a flutter of feathers” then “birdsong ripples”–like us at dawn, first non-attentive, and then drawn to it with a force.
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Thanks for the close reading, Susan!
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You had me at “celandine”!
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Thanks!
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Lovely to wake up into such a soft morning!!! (I had to look up celandine 🙂 )
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Thank you, Rajani!
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Beautiful poem.
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Exquisite imagery, a wholly captivating aubade!
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Thank you, Dora!
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And so it does! Beautifully done!
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Thank you, Jennifer!
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Kim, another evocative poem from you. I get so cynical sometimes, it’s hard to simply dwell on the beauty of the morning. Thanks for the reminder.
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