Photograph by Dick Mudde
Today's poem is for all those who are being pummeled by winter. Even in my southern climate, we are feeling the cold in the coming days. I don't know how people live in International Falls, MN. I'm not tough enough to live there.
Looking For a Sunset Bird in Winter by Robert Frost
The west was getting out of gold,
The breath of air had died of cold,
When shoeing home across the white,
I thought I saw a bird alight.
In summer when I passed the place
I had to stop and lift my face;
A bird with an angelic gift
Was singing in it sweet and swift.
No bird was singing in it now.
A single leaf was on a bough,
And that was all there was to see
In going twice around the tree.
From my advantage on a hill
I judged that such a crystal chill
Was only adding frost to snow
As gilt to gold that wouldn't show.
A brush had left a crooked stroke
Of what was either cloud or smoke
From north to south across the blue;
A piercing little star was through.
Check out Poetry Friday at I Think in Poems.
What an appropriate poem. I am here in my slippers and sweater staying warm while it is negative 17 outside! YIKES
ReplyDeleteGlad you are staying warm! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteHe had a way with winter, old Frost. So love this stanza:
ReplyDeleteFrom my advantage on a hill
I judged that such a crystal chill
Was only adding frost to snow
As gilt to gold that wouldn't show.
It's probably too easy to pick a Frost poem, but when you read stanzas like you mentioned, it's hard to pass up. Thanks for stopping by, Tara!
DeleteDriving home from a late lunch/early dinner today, we were commenting on the amazing light. We had pinks, not golds, but
ReplyDelete"A brush had left a crooked stroke
Of what was either cloud or smoke
From north to south across the blue;
A piercing little star was through."
Welcome back to PF!
Frost always adds himself into winter scenes and comments upon himself so self-deprecatingly (as if adding "frost" to the scene was the equivalent of adding gilt to gold, and wouldn't show! I think he wanted to show a bit, maybe....)
ReplyDeleteWow, that is one beautiful photograph at the top of the post. And brrrrrrr.....in Seattle today we had blue skies, and sunshine - the thermometer hit a balmy 44 degrees. For those of you in that terrible snow storm we've been reading about, bundle up, stay warm (and stay inside!)
Beautiful poem, and one I wasn't familiar with before, but am glad to have read here. Thank you! We're avoiding the "crystal chill" here, too, which came in at -35 degrees with wind chill. Brrrr...
ReplyDelete