Frost Reversals
Frost Reversals
I walk on a scattering of clouds.
Trees, in the absence of birds, chirp,
while, in the absence of leaves,
something small, brown, and seemingly
windblown, whisks just above the frozen ground,
till, catching a rutted stump,
it shows one beetle-bright eye, grey
snow scarf.
My thumbs in their solitary sleeves of mitten
beg to cede their opposition
to all other digits, to join
the flock.
Only the stump stays stalwartly itself,
still, frost-bitten.
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Another little poem about cold, belatedly posted for With Real Toads Tuesday platform. (In the photo, which is mine, and taken at a different time than thoughts for the poem–so doesn’t really fit it–you can see three deer.)
Also, apparently some bloggers from blogger are having a hard time posting comments. Please do let me know if you have any difficulty. I’ve tried to go into my settings to at a minimum re-save them, but don’t know if that is doing anything. Thanks.
Explore posts in the same categories: poetry, Uncategorized
Tags: Cold poem, Frost Reversals, http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com, manicddaily, My thumbs are right here poem, walking in the cold
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ManicDDaily 
January 8, 2015 at 8:59 am
Such a splendid image. Those beetle-bright eyes are alluring, I guess. I really liked the ending, with the stump staying still as it is, frost-bitten. Well-penned. 🙂
January 8, 2015 at 9:01 am
Hmmm–WP ate my comment, but I had fortunately copied it to the clipboard, so trying again:
The cold is enough to split these words into frozen chunks that tinkle as they fall against an ice-hard ground..the only simile I could think of for this earlier this morning trying to write was the old stale saw of the cold being a vise that tightens on the living world–here you show it can have a much more lively and almost playful spirit, even as it works its stultifying, paralytic magic. I love the word play in ‘rutted’–the beetle-bright eye, and the thumbs clamoring for acceptance from their peers. As well as the opening line, of course. Stay warm if you can, k–hard to hold the pen in mittens. ;_)
January 8, 2015 at 9:30 am
Thanks. Sorry about WP issues. The cold is like a vice I guess but I find I don’t mind it so much. Of course I am lucky to have tons of wool in my life and some down and also added padding in the form of hips. K.
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January 8, 2015 at 10:12 am
it ate mine too…good on the stump being able to stand its ground…i am retreating inside…it was -7 at 6 am….so i feel for the thumb…..
January 8, 2015 at 11:26 am
Huh. I don’t know why there is a commenting issue, but will try to check settings.
On Thu, Jan 8, 2015 at 10:12 AM, ManicDDaily wrote:
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January 8, 2015 at 12:42 pm
I love the idea that the snow is like walking on “a scattering of clouds”. I also love the trees “chirping”. Very cool!
January 8, 2015 at 1:43 pm
oh we had the very cold temps about a week ago… i went running with gloves and cap and thickly bundled and the icecold wind just almost blew me away… and still so much magic… smiles
January 8, 2015 at 2:04 pm
ahhh…. nice. also, brrrr. MY thumbs have matching crevices from cold and dry heat, ouch ouch.
January 12, 2015 at 3:37 am
The birds at winter calls strongly to my heart.. and it has to be those eyes.. Need to fill my bird-feeder.