"Oh the weather outside is frightful" and I'm still not delighted! I’m already begrudging the winter weather, and though I might enjoy a white Christmas, I miss the warmer times. It is cold, therefore after the new year, I will start the countdown to spring, beginning with the exciting arrival of seed catalogs. Here is what I did before the temperature dropped:
My Pantry Stores
I traveled all the way up to the sun,
managed to steal a little chunk away
for now it’s winter, and I am thankful
for this warm, bright ray.
I captured the humming buzz of the bees
and the wings of a dragonfly.
I plucked the petals of the flowers because
when they at last are dry
I’ll have life instead of the death
of this icy-fingered world.
And the wings will boost my spirits.
All these things I carefully swirled,
then boiled for several hours on end
to make the charmed ingredients blend.
Finally I filled tiny Mason jars
to ensure spring at my house will never end.
I’ll open only for times less bright,
and if your happiness hangs by a string
I gladly give, too, one jar to help your
winter metamorphose into spring.
We are indeed blessed to have 'winter sun' - summer all year long. But our leaves don't turn green, and the humidity can make you cry on occasion.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite lines:
"I captured the humming buzz of the bees
and the wings of a dragonfly.
I plucked the petals of the flowers because
when they at last are dry
I’ll have life instead of the death
of this icy-fingered world."
Same time last year, we were with family in California enjoying the cold. Visited Yosemite and Tahoe to see the snow (our first time). Perhaps this season, we can do a virtual swap - I share with you the beaming rays of the sun in my window early morning - and I catch a snowman with a button nose (and them snow angels too). :)
I'll take several of those jars :).
ReplyDeleteYour poem reminds me of Greg Brown's song about putting summer in jars. As you can see, I'm enamoured with your cooking/canning metaphor. Thanks for preserving the warmth and promise of Spring with your lovely poem.
Oh a jar for me, too - what a lovely way to think about preserving (no pun intended) the warmth of summer.
ReplyDeleteDang. Two people already used my "PRESERVING" pun. The best thing is that you resisted using the word in your poem, but your poem did its job and made us think it!!
ReplyDelete