Latewood

Swaddles of mist
inhabit the darkening
between trees.
Despite the forming
of the darker parts
of annual growth rings,
still there is a green silence,
broken only by the beating of wings,
the occasional cracking twig,
and the seasonal frosting
of branches and the grass
beneath my feet.
Notwithstanding the ache for spring,
I’m listening yet.

Kim M. Russell, 10th December 2024

Image by Drazen Nesic on Unsplash

This week’s Poetics at the dVerse Poets Pub is the last of the year and is hosted by Dora, who has chosen the theme of ‘despite and still’.

Dora says that “despite the inevitable ruptures in social niceties, eruptions of bad temper, seething impatience, last-minute aggravations of crowded stores and holiday traffic, still there are those redeeming times of holiday memories created, the joy of seeing family and friends enjoying gifts, festive concerts, games, and religious observances”.

She gives us examples of ‘despite… still’ and poems that illustrate them, one of which I know very well from learning it by heart at school: Thomas Hardy’s “The Oxen”.

Dora’s challenge is to write a poem on any theme that the ‘despite… still’ dynamic evokes. The setting can be the holidays or any occasion, or a mood or fancy, or we can choose to pull a Yeats and turn the ‘despite… still’ dynamic on its head.

48 thoughts on “Latewood”

  1. “there is a green silence,
    broken only by the beating of wings,” — just a couple of the lines that spin the atmosphere of this poem into the wonder that it is, waiting but present for the seasonal moment as it unfolds. So lovely, Kim.

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  3. I hear you, Kim. The mist swirling where snow should be is eerie. Still green’s been dead quiet for the past 2 days here. I long for sunshine and spring, but something is very wrong with skipping winter.

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  6. Again, nobody uses nature as you do to convey emotions of philosophy, loved the start, and the green silence broken by wings. A tour de force again with lovely message

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  9. I love the ” Swaddles of mist, inhabit the darkening between trees” it’s like the shroud of winter. Also “there is a green silence”. Your words create such an atmosphere that is quite alien to me, here winter is just as lively as spring being in a sub-tropical climate. I also love that listening for growth and hope it will resonate within us.

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