Wednesday 3 February 2010

Waiting...







Friend of Winter,



the snowdrop
hangs its head,
battered and bruised
by the wind.
In the byre,
sheep,
heavy with lamb,
pick at the hay and
stare with slit eyes
at sleet in cold black puddles.
Fields,
hard to the touch of
the walker's boot,
lie empty; the grass
old with no green shoots.
In the hedge,
hazel and alder
flaunt their lanterns
catkins,
lambs' tails -
waiting for a burst of
sunshine to bring out the pollen.

27 comments:

Ann Christy said...

Love pictures and imagary in your words Weaver. I can't wait for the snowdrops to appear in my garden - they do seem a little reluctant at the moment. I love it when the the fields are full of new born lambs!

Elisabeth said...

The Stone Abbey is beautiful Weaver.

Are the sheep already heavy with lamb or does your poem anticipate this?

Crafty Green Poet said...

lovely new header photo, Weaver!

Waiting for Spring here too, almost here but there's been snow again...

Tess Kincaid said...

I'm actually relishing the last weeks of winter. Lovely poem, Weaver!

Gwil W said...

Lovely words, Weaver. How I envy your early signs of spring. Here we are having a spell of weather that is officially described as "turbulent". A paper bag chased by snowflakes just flew past the window...

Golden West said...

It won't take many bursts of sunshine before it's all green again. I'm still marveling that January was here and gone already!

Jane Moxey said...

Lovely poem! It painted such a bleak picture, yet was full of promise of springtime! Love the new stuff on the side of your blog too, especially the pictures of your dear dog!

Gwil W said...

Thanks for the link to the poetry twentyten project. That'll bring in some good poems I should think.
Britten-Janacek cd playing in backround. Bought it at Janacek' small pavilion house in Brno (CZ) few years ago. It was winter then.

The Weaver of Grass said...

TAS. I would have thought your snowdrops would be out before ours - we have a lot out now although tonight snow is rapidly covering them up.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Elisabeth - yes the sheep are in lamb - our first lambs round here will be born at the beginning of March.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Juliet - glad you like the new header.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Willow - I am past relishing I am afraid and I can't wait for winter to go.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Poet - what a super image - a paper bag chased by snowflakes.

The Weaver of Grass said...

GW - yes time flies doesn't it - and it flies faster the older one gets too.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thank you for the kind words Jane.
The farmer took the doggie pi cture this morning on his morning walk. That shed is full of rabbit holes and they would dearly love to get in.

Dave King said...

lovely images and lovely words conjuring more images. You make the spring seem a lot nearer.

Arija said...

I love your new header dear friend.
Thank you for caring enough to ask. With three score years and thirteen under my belt, two replaced heart valves and another overstrained, the heat waves we have been having are putting too much strain on everything.

Heather said...

Beautiful poem Weaver. I have seen snowdrops in other people's gardens but mine are still holding back. It snowed this morning for a few minutes, but I shouted at it and it turned to rain! Re making books - I will be happy to help at any time. My pages will be of calico I think, so I can paint, print, and stitch on them. I know you can stitch on paper but I feel it weakens it.

ChrisJ said...

Such a pertinent spring-time verse in North Yorkshire. And I miss catkins too. We do have them over here but not in Southern California.

You asked me about the house in my cliff photos. It was originally constructed for observation during World War II, then turned into a golf club, of which my father was the manager. Sometime in the 70's I think, the club members decided they needed a new clubhouse and of course there was always the deciding factor that the old one may fall into the sea. So it was pulled down. The cliffs there have shown no erosion. The patch where my house was is now full of brambles, but I could easily go and stand right where my bedroom window was -- if I didn't mind the brambles. It looked out over the cliff top footpath, which is still there and in no danger of "falling into the sea".

Cloudia said...

Lovely poem, Weaver; and I adore your abbey!



Aloha, Friend!


Comfort Spiral

Unknown said...

Hello Weaver,

Super poem! The poor sheep must tire of looking at black puddles of sleet!

Titus said...

Really beautiful poem, Weaver, and thank you for the pictures too. More snow today here, so a kind reminder that there is going to be a Spring this year!

tony said...

My Cold Black Puddles Turned White Tonight!!!!!

Anonymous said...

oooh, we are so far away from Spring over here.. but you brought it with words.. and LOVE your header photo, what a magical place.

Dinesh chandra said...

The poem is good to read and potrait the theme.

good to read the poem.

regards

dinesh chandra

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thank you for the comments - those who joined after I had written my comments. As usual, I enjoyed reading them all.

sanjeet said...

I love it when the the fields are full of new born lambs!
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