Angular boned branches are bare
except for the sheen of random smears
of moss and ivy. They scratch at a sky
opaque and goose-feather grey.
Goblin faces gurn and leer
from the trunk of the freshly
pollarded willow trunk, their silent
roar lost on a windy wave.
Scattered birds rearrange themselves
on telephone wires, notes on a stave,
and a robin with a glowing red breast descends
from a hedge, lands on the roof
of a bright blue car, cocking its head
in sardonic comment on the season’s bitter end.
Kim M. Russell, 26th December 2018
My response to the last Imaginary Garden with Real Toads Tuesday Platform of 2018: All Aboard
Yesterday, Pat welcomed all Toads to the last Tuesday Platform of 2018. I’m a bit late to wish everyone a merry Christmas but would like to share a poem. I thoroughly enjoyed the one that Pat shared with us, ‘Days We Would Rather Know’ by Michael Blumenthal.
I wanted to take a picture of our willow with my new camera but have to wait for the battery to finish charging. So I’ve found a suitable image on Pinterest.
Fascinating to read this vividly evoked scene, so different from the warm Christmases I enjoy.
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🙂
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The first part of your poem I wanted to illustrate with a van Gogh painting of pollard willows.
Then you move the color in with the robin and the blue car which is like a harsh reminder of modernity.
Love it.
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Now that’s a brilliant painting that I haven’t seen before – and I though I knew all of van Gogh’s work! Thank you, Bjorn, I’ll keep that one on file.
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It *is* gorgeous – and I only vaguely recall seeing it – so I too am loving it as well. And what a most wonderful poem Kim – subtle and yet essentially true for the capture of these late fall/early winter days – and I really loved the wording, the phrases you’ve peppered throughout – especially drawing the mind to birds as notes, and “stave” — oh, that is just brilliant!
Happy Holidays Kim and I’m glad you spent such a joyful time celebrating with your family and grandson 🙂 May the new year bring many more treasured moments and pleasures for you.
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Thank you, Pat. The poem was about this morning – my first morning of writing since Sunday – and its describes fairly accurately the view from my window and my feelings. I’ve saved that van Gogh picture for future use..
We only had Lucas from Sunday until just before lunchtime on Christmas Day. We had a lovely time and got to see him open his presents (with a lot of help from us!) and I’m looking forward to my next visit already. 😀
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Nature’s burghers all agree with a harrumph: so much for the end of YOUR holiday! No need to tell us why, you described it floridly.
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Nothing’s pretty with
winter’s cold coming
But I’ll add some warnth
to your blue world
Quoth the Robin “Nevermore.”
..
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😀
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So many sharp images, starting with the first line. Those branches cut through the landscape and mind, readying us to the bitterness to come, but… still, the judgment of that pretty bird lands like a spear in the heart. Winter can be so cutting.
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P.S. Enjoy your new camera!
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Thanks Magaly!
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I might write another poem about the same view and illustrate it with a photo I took today. It is so chilling and melancholy.
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Such an incredibly gorgeous poem, Kim ❤❤❤ especially like the image; “robin with a glowing red breast descends from a hedge.” 😊
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Thank you, Sanaa. 😀💝
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Kim- this is stark and riveting. Marvelous!
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Thank you, Linda!
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The scene evolves so beautifully before the mind’s eye.
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Thank you, Kerry.
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I love your poem, about the end of the year, and you end with “red,” the color of “life,” and so be it, for the new year.
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Thank you so much, Annell.
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