Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Winter Snow


Winter Snow
Finally it has snowed… We have had flurries but yesterday and last night we received our first true winter snow here. Along with the snow The postman brought a new book… I nearly always love any book I order because I have looked it over and know what I am getting before I order --- If you haven’t guessed I have more books than bookshelves so I keep trying to minimize this addiction. This time I ordered a book sight-unseen and I am captivated! You will want to take a look at Letters from Eden by Julie Zickefoose



The Snowstorm
Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,
Arrives the snow, and, driving o'er the fields,
Seems nowhere to alight: the whited air
Hides hills and woods, the river, and the heaven,
And veils the farmhouse at the garden's end.
The sled and traveler stopped, the courier's feet
Delayed, all friends shut out, the housemates sit
Around the radiant fireplace, enclosed
In a tumultuous privacy of storm.

Come see the north wind's masonry.
Out of an unseen quarry evermore
Furnished with tile, the fierce artificer
Curves his white bastions with projected roof
Round every wayward stake, or tree, or door.
Speeding, the myriad-handed, his wild work
So fanciful, so savage, nought cares he
For number or proportion. Mockingly,
On coop or kennel he hangs Parian wreaths;
A swan-like form invests the hidden thorn;
Fills up the farmer's lane from wall to wall,
Maugre the farmer sighs; and, at the gate,
A tapering turret overtops the work.
And when his hours are numbered, and the world
Is all his own, retiring, as he were not,
Leaves, when the sun appears, astonished Art
To mimic in slow structures, stone by stone,
Built in an age, the mad wind's night-work,
The frolic architecture of snow.
--- Ralph Waldo Emerson

10 Comments:

Blogger Julie said...

Oh, Endment, it is so good to see you back. Hope you are enjoying your new white blanket from the windows of your warm abode.

Happy reading!

4:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Beautiful blanket, Endment. Happy to see a post of you. A beautiful poem, too.

4:21 PM  
Blogger Fran said...

I come to you via Watermark and am enjoying the snowstorm and the memory for here we have no snow. Thank you

10:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wonderful to have you back! Lovely and fanciful words by Emerson, "...the frolic architecture of snow."

12:02 AM  
Blogger silverlight said...

hi, girl. hope you are better.
Emerson is always good.

1:57 AM  
Blogger NatureWoman said...

Hi Endment, glad to see you back! I miss your posts.
I love Julie's book - I'm sure you will too!

5:55 AM  
Blogger robin andrea said...

Hi Endment-- Welcome back. Nice to have you writing again, and to see your snow. I have Julie's book too. It's really lovely. Enjoy it.

12:16 PM  
Blogger Pam in Tucson said...

So great to find you back online - I've so missed you. Love your true winter snow - beautiful photo (fabulous winter light) and lovely selection of Emerson to accompany. Our rare snowfall lasted less than a day, but was quite wonderful. My seasonal gift to myself was also Letters from Eden. I love it and will order more for gifts to others.

2:34 PM  
Blogger Susan Gets Native said...

You will LOVE Julie's book. She just rocks out LOUD!
Glad to see you back! All better?

10:53 PM  
Blogger Endment said...

star
thanks for your warm greeting

claude
i have missed being able to exchange comments. Just had a lovely time catching up with your blog

fran
welcome - hope you come again soon

nan
Emerson's fancy words catch my imagination!

silverlight
thanks - guess we will see if i am better

nature woman
Julie's book is being rationed - or I would read it in a single sitting - then what would I have to read? :)

robin andrea
You are so right - I am finding Julie's book a delight!

pam in tucson
more snow is falling - i have read more in Julie's book - a perfect match - all it needs is that warm cup of tea :)

susan gets native
yes she does - i had not thought of it (perhaps because i am so old) but julie "rocks out loud"

9:35 AM  

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