Light Fractured

On frost-fractured mornings
I pause

to ponder the intricacy of light
on ice-sugared pinecones

scattered like flotsam
among the silvery filigree of leaves

and twinkling twigs that litter the path.
And I remember

winter’s mission:
the extinction of useless lights

and drawing of grey cloud curtains
across the sky.

But I know
that light cannot be completely

erased: it’s there in the pale-faced sun,
sharp diamond-stars and shimmering moon,

and it’s waiting
for the first flowers of spring.

Kim M. Russell, 18th December 2025

Extinction of Useless Lights, 1927 – Yves Tanguy – WikiArt.org

For the last dVerse Poets Pub Open Link Night Grace, our host, has given us an intriguing optional mini prompt, which can inspire ekphrastic poems or poems which use the title of the image as a title or part of the poems: ‘Extinction of Useless Lights’.

15 thoughts on “Light Fractured”

  2. I love that winter’s mission and that light cannot be completely erased. How positive is the ending lines as we go into the end of December:and it’s waitingfor the first flowers of spring.

    Happy holiday break Kim to you and your family. Thank you for a wonderful 2025.

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  3. This is absolutely exquisite, Kim! I love; “winter’s mission: the extinction of useless lights and drawing of grey cloud curtains across the sky.” ❤️❤️

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  7. This is gorgeous. You express winter’s beauty so well, Kim, especially in these, my favourite couplets:

    “On frost-fractured mornings
    I pause”

    “winter’s mission:
    the extinction of useless lights

    and drawing of grey cloud curtains
    across the sky.”

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    Reply

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