I've been wanting to celebrate with Laura Shovan this month and not quite getting there, so our 2-hour "cold delay" (???) this morning seemed like a great opportunity to catch up and write in response to a couple of Laura's Sound Poem Project prompts.
Sadly, my internet seems to be freezing in the pipes along with everything else, and I can't follow the sound links Laura has posted (and I have no idea what's going on with the formatting)...but I can listen to my house waking up and to the crazy creatures outside who don't appear to know that we are setting record low temperatures here in the DC area. It's currently 7* with a wind chill of...
Nine Below Zero
below below
the frozen mark
there's whish and sweep
of wind, and hark--
below below
the frozen sky
snow-winged birds
let fly their cry
below below
the frozen branches
blubbered squirrels
announce their antics
below below
the frozen ground
the bursting bulbs
murmur a sound
of sleeping green,
of hushed persistence...
below our listening:
spring's existence
HM 2015
all rights reserved
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Well, that insta-poem turned into less sound and more my desperate hope of winter's end! Please join Linda--and Laura--over at TeacherDance for today's round-up.
I believe that you wrote some wondrous 'hope' into your sounds, Heidi. We have a snowstorm coming too, but have had exceptionally warm temps lately-strange winter! Love the murmurs in your poems!
ReplyDeleteThere has been a lot of whishing and sweeping of the wind, hasn't there? I was surprised about the cold delay, too. Glad it gave you time to write. I like all the "belows" and that there is something happening "below our listening."
ReplyDeleteHope spring comes soon to your neck of the woods!
ReplyDeleteI agree - love the whisper of hope in these. And squirrel blubber! Who wouldn't love "blubbered squirrels"?!
ReplyDeleteHeidi, last night I posted for Poetry Friday but read the dates wrong and said you were hosting today. I corrected that and quickly moved over to Linda's site. -Another good reason to check in with the eye doctor today.- I am being more observant now and trying to read posts from others. My daughter lives in Washington, DC so your poem appealed to me. Your descriptive words engaged me as a reader but your ending gave me pause. So many are hoping for spring after the record breaking low temperatures.
ReplyDeleteSince your poem has a different perspective of winter-hope for springtime, I was wondering if you would consider placing it in the Winter Whisperings Gallery that I am creating. (flyer is at the bottom of my PF post this week). All I would need is a photo of your locale to accompany the poem and then I can blend then together.
Have a great day!
Lovely. I love how the belows are so wintery, but when you get low enough you get to the promise of spring.
ReplyDeleteBelow, below, below. I was right there with you. Hope you come out above soon. Think cherry blossoms!
ReplyDeleteYes, the promise of Spring - we're all hanging on to that thought, Heidi - even the squirrels.
ReplyDeleteWe had a 2-hour cold delay too. We're at -15 wind chill this morning up here in the north. I love the repetition of the word "below." It looks like we'll continue to be "below" for another day or two with the snow coming tomorrow. : )
ReplyDeleteHi, Heidi. Just found your post. Thanks for joining in, despite your dire circumstances. I like the little play on blubbered squirrels, who must be blubbering frozen tears in this cold.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping for a delay Friday morning, but we didn't have one. Just as well, we've had so few full days of school lately. I love your poem and the thread of hope you have woven in. Spring will come eventually!
ReplyDeleteWe win the prize -- we had two days OFF because of windchills in the minus 22s.
ReplyDeleteMy heart is right there with that bulb...
Those last 4 lines ... yes!
ReplyDelete9 below is too far "below below", Heidi. You have tapped into the true heart of the frozen tundra. Sending you some warm desert sunshine. =)
ReplyDeleteWonderful thought on winter in the city where my daughter and husband live.Would you consider adding your poem to the Winter Whisperings Gallery that I am creating. If so, do you have a photo that would accompany the poem? Thank you, Heidi.
ReplyDelete