Random Words of Winter

you were a cold crone,
Winter, dimming our thresholds –
summer’s still a dream

a dolorous crow
brings me yet another verse –
see how words renew

and yet we’re aware
of cliffs, caves and salty sea
the scent of sun cream

***

While winter’s nose is still dripping,
one memory will cause us joy,
even when it’s getting dark by four:

it’s safe to assume that once
spring blossoms have come
and gone, the ice cream
van will chime again, sum
total of our summer dream.

Kim M. Russell, 28th January 2025

Illustration by John Duncan in Wonder Tales from Scottish Myth and Legend (1917)

On what would have been my father’s birthday, I’m hosting Tuesday Poetics at the dVerse Poets Pub with some words from the optician, where I had a check-up several months ago. I had to read from a sheet of different size sentences to test my new reading prescription. Below each sentence were sets of four words, which seem to be random, so I asked the optician for a copy for a prompt.

My challenge is to choose one or two sets of words and write a poem, using them in the order in which they appear. I also share some poems and haiku created around random words.I chose were – crone – our – summer, crow – verse – see – renew, and aware – caves – sea – cream to create a haiku series, and nose – one – cause – even and assume – once- van – sum to create a quadrille.

52 thoughts on “Random Words of Winter”

  2. “While winter’s nose is still dripping,” – such a memorable line of imagery and personification.

    this was a fun prompt Kim and a word list I’ve never seen!!

    p.s. we both went for crow and even as I was writing mine, I thought you would be too

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    1. I’ve been dying to share the random words since September. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Crows are the only corvids around here at the moment, even the jackdaws have been silenced by the awful weather.

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  3. Can’t wait for that “ice cream/van [to] chime again”! And that characterization of this winter, “you were a cold crone,” is a sentiment that, alas, I share wholeheartedly. You juggled the word sets just right, Kim.

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  7. The craftswoman speaks, knitting her seequences into – my favourite – a quadrille!

    Pure delight, and fragrant wordsmithery, reminding of – and forecasting – summer days as turns, the Great Wheel of the Year! xxx,

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  8. I smiled as winter’s nose is still dripping. Winter does has a way of doing that. I dream of summer and ice cream on a hot day. They naturally go together.

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  15. Thanks for a fun challenge, certainly not an easy task … your poetry bits are delightful reminding me the ice cream van will come again … patience required.

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  18. Lovely poem, Kim, and wonderful prompt. Happy birthday to your father. What was he like? Did he know you were such an accomplished poet? Did he love poetry, too? Has he been a muse for you, like my Dad was – and is, even though he’s gone – for me?

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    1. Thank you very much, Kim. My dad was very funny and loved sport. Sadly his health prevented him from taking part in some of the sports he loved, but he played cricket for many years and was a football referee until his health put an end to it. He knew I wrote poetry, but sadly died before I had any published. I wrote a poem for his funeral, so I suppose he was a muse, although my grandparents and mother inspired me.

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  20. Your prompt was delightful, original and fun, and your verses continued the theme. I liked the idea of haiku, but found it a bit too challenging…to do the prompt in 3 lines is definitely the most authentic way though, as it demands the most skill…

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  21. I love you set of haiku and short poems. I like how they’re related by the seasons, as well as the connected words. I love how the third haiku begins with “and yet.”

    As others have commented, “winter’s nose is still dripping” is such a funny but accurate image!

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  24. Now aren’t you creative to take those words as prompts!!! Lovely haiku, I feel the “yawning” of winter and longing for summer…give me spring and I will be happy but I doubt I will see any sign for at least 6 weeks or more here.

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