Friday, May 7, 2010

Spring was late: I saw its first greening

Every time I go to my mountain home after the thaw, I end up taking the same picture from the upper deck...
...and the same picture from the top of the hill -
I keep hoping to see the fairies that live in this hollowed-out burl -
...and when I'm out walking with granddog, Lola, I always try to see what she's seeing -
I'm always shocked and delighted when we run into wildlife. Sherry posted about seeing 7 deer and said, "The earth as we know it stopped spinning. No one would believe me about Time stopping to sit down in my driveway and saying 'Sherry, go ahead and soak up the moment.'" This is how I felt at the sight of the moose; how I feel when I see life asserting itself through matted-down layers of leaves. It seems like a revolutionary miracle every spring.
The Arch of the Year


High summer's sun raked and cratered the earth
Disinterested, implacable
As you were implacable.


Early frost and some wind bent and stripped the trees
You did not could not bend.


Snow bandaged the hill
But not the sage
And enfolded in its soft slight embrace
All your time and times.


Spring was late: I saw its first greening
I know you smelt the jasmine but did not see the rose
I saw the rose but not the hawthorn.
You did not could not wait for summer.


We waited
And are parched.


Gwendolen Gittens, 1990 (age 67)

15 comments:

  1. I'll freely admit it...I'm jealous WAAAAAY beyond green.

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  2. Me, too. Like Jonas I'm jealous. The tranquility of the place and of the piece: your writing, your poem, your photographs. I feel soothed just reading and looking.

    I thought you said you couldn't write poetry. There's no evidence for this anywhere in your blog. You write wonderful poetry. You write splendid prose and you take the happiest photos.

    That's certainly my first moose for the year, not that I see many of them, ever, except on the page. But I can share your thrill, Kass. This is exquisite.

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  3. Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"

    A lovely post Kass, nice pictures!!!

    loveNlight
    Gabi

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  4. Gwendolyn knows something about painting a picture with words! I love the fairy hollow!

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  5. Wonderful posting, Kass. Personally, I think one moose always trumps seven deer, maybe even twenty (Michigan has too many deer and very few moose). I love the fairy home. Ann Arbor's Arboretum has a special path where people build fairy houses out of sticks, moss, stones, etc. I think fairies would much prefer creations like these---with roots.

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  6. Beautiful. heare be more faerie

    http://tinyurl.com/37b8c7w

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  7. A moose!! So close up! Oh gosh, that would make my day... make it a little scary perhaps in thinking where Momma moose might be. At least it looks young to me :)

    Beautiful views! Are you far from home?

    Happy Mother's Day Kass!

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  8. If you find the fairies, Kassie, will you invite them and me to tea? I love fairies and would like to make their acquaintance. I'm the woman arriving to tea on the moose.

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  9. i revel in your spring,
    the party that ensues,
    the greening of the world,
    the taking off of shoes!

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  10. I love how you lay quiet for a while then you suddenly spring up.
    This was a lovely post!
    Thanks for sharing!

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  11. so glad you've sprung back ...

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  12. Yes, you are one lucky woman, and yet, you're still humble. Love the post, as usual. xo

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  13. The photos are so rich and vibrant, I love that deer in the woods. The poetry


    Snow bandaged the hill
    But not the sage
    And enfolded in its soft slight embrace
    All your time and times.

    Stunning imagery, Love it.

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  14. oh, i love what jan said about one moose trumping seven deer. that is a great title for a poem one of us needs to write, huh?

    this: you did not could not
    is inspired. and i really like the way the *baton* of engagement is passed from hand to hand here:

    i know you smelt the jasmine but did not see the rose/i saw the rose but not the hawthorn/you did not . . .

    often we see cleverness in a poem, but to showcase wisdom without a spotlight, in the way that you do in this poem, is inspiring.

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  15. Ahhh moosie McMoose Moose! I love it! She is gorgeous!

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