Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Winter's breath



Winter lands in the city
with stiff dove's wings  

It slides under the cars &
creates a whirl of grey clouds

It blankets, spiraling over
fences & roofs, erasing paths & grime

Getting into the groove quickly,
licking every bare tree & fallen leaf with silence

Taking its time
as if the world is flaring, silvery canvas

But its a chameleon
turning clear roads to slippery ice

Some nights, its a vulture
knifing homeless & lost souls on cold streets- 

We fret, with no sunshine
to needle our eyes to light & motion

Forgetting colors & spring flowers
We get intimate with death, melancholia 

& pinched nerves, enveloping our words-
pink, furrowed with blue salt-



Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Poetics hosted by Lillian ~ Theme is "groove".  
I slipped on the ice last night & fell on my side, while shoveling so I am feeling a bit cautious.  Thank goodness, no broken bones or bruises.  I have forgotten how slippery the ground ice can be.

28 comments:

  1. We got like an inch of snow this last Friday. Most of it is gone now, but it made all the fields look like iced oatmeal cookies. The world seems to fresh with possibility in the snow.

    Then there def is the other side. Those that can not stay warm. I have spent a good many years working with and talking to homeless guys. This is a hard time of year. And we lose many each year.

    The darkness falling so early in the day really wears on me. I was already asking the other day when the time change was. Ha. I dont like going to work in the dark and getting home in the dark.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Here it has snowed as will. I made it today without slipping and biked to work for a good workout.. but I can feel the weight of darkness as it's dark in the morning and dark in the evening.


    I will light candles in the night...

    ReplyDelete
  3. What an absolutely mesmerizing description of winter! You had me with the first two lines -- what a stunning image! And then, licking bare trees and silent leaf with silence....and it's icy cruelty to the homeless. Those who live where darkness and snow are ever present in the winter must truly miss those spring colors. Perhaps they fill their homes with rosemaling artistry on their walls and silk flowers in bright colored vases placed throughout the house! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love 'Winter lands in the city / with stiff dove's wings'. The line 'It slides under the cars' is exactly what it was like when I drove to our nearest market town at lunchtime today. I got out of the car and went sliding! The snow on the ground has disappeared now but the temperature has dropped tonight and the roads are icy again.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Another reason to hate snow. Hopefully no more ice falls. Pinched nerves suck too haha

    ReplyDelete
  6. I like this line: "licking every bare tree & fallen leaf with silence"

    ReplyDelete
  7. We had similar ideas about the word 'groove'. I like the cold air in this one.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow, this one is one of your best ! It pokes and prods us with every line, with fresh word smithing, with derring-do and bullseye accuracy; takes my breath away! I like the lines /it slides under the cars and/creates a whirl of grey clouds/.

    ReplyDelete
  9. It sounds like we all got the frost and frozen world this week.

    ReplyDelete
  10. All of these personifications of winter are just wonderful. I love the vulture lines.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Never have I seen winter better described, so lyrical and descriptive. Beautiful write!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love that winter lands with stiff doves wings- great line, nice piece!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love how you paint winter as a chameleon- it has so many faces, its hard to keep up!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Winter snow started yesterday, into today. Great description of it's coming and getting in the groove.

    ReplyDelete
  15. You have a great way with words, Grace. Love this beautiful canvas of words.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thank you for sharing valuable information nice post,I enjoyed reading this post.

    แตกใน xxx

    ReplyDelete
  17. nicely put into poetry. reading on, i can imagine having caught by frost bite.

    ReplyDelete
  18. hi Grace how are you doing ?
    like alwsys your poesy is lovely and sensitive .Really I love winter :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. How deftly you climb into that steam and sing. What a boreal creche! - Brendan

    ReplyDelete
  20. You write so beautifully about my favorite time of year. Melancholica, is perfect, so much is dying, or sleeping. The words you have chosen are beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  21. But its a chameleon
    turning clear roads to slippery ice

    They come as friends but may be hiding something to later unleash power mercilessly! Well thought of,Grace!

    Hank

    ReplyDelete
  22. Could feel the chilling effect of winter's breath through your poem.
    Here it doesn't snow, but air is dull and sun rays dont touch the ground

    ReplyDelete
  23. Winter has a sweet breath under your care. A very pleasant read even through the scary parts :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Winter's cold does come like a cloak that settles over me. It's ok at first. But that darkness can get to me sometimes. Its just weird for it to be dark at 4pm. Melancholia slips in. Your description of it all is perfect. I felt it all in my bones.

    ReplyDelete
  25. "Licking every bare tree and fallen leaf with silence" - gorgeous imagery in this line and throughout. The mood if this poem, is felt in every part of the body. Winter can be an insidious time. I love this poem, Grace.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Love the poem and oh! so true. A cold Winter here for sure and longing for Spring.

    ReplyDelete
  27. This IS winter's breath - an eloquent description that is powerfully evocative.

    ReplyDelete
  28. shivers, harsh Winter's breath. love the poem.

    ReplyDelete

I try my best to reciprocate comments and visits.
I allow anonymous comments if you have difficulty posting them. Thank you & have a good day!!!