Saturday, December 10, 2011

A Cold Shadow



There are lacy patterns of ice on the pond this morning,
floating like crystal doilies in a sea of calm gray.
The sky is a bleached blue, patched with wisps of winter clouds,
and naked branches reach up from the horizon to search for sun.

Where did the summer go?
How was it washed away like a watercolor dream?
What happened to the sweet perfumes, the intoxicating heat,
the euphoria that permeated the landscape?

I stand inside- looking out-
not even wanting to become familiar with this new world-
dismissing any intentions of being friendly.
I lock my door.
Turn up the heat.
Feel pity for everything that has died away with a flood of frost.

Suddenly, sunshine tickles the icy cattails,
makes beams of yellow amid the pine trees,
and pours it's golden treasure upon the surface of the pond.

The ice melts, its delicate netting breaks without a sound.
It dissolves like sugar flowers in the oyster-colored pond water.

A cardinal lands on the fence post like a fat, red kite.
And I celebrate its beauty.

I do not embrace winter,
but I will tolerate it.
And hold fast to dreams of summer-
forever plump with promises...

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Winter is just something I have to get through. I can't wait for sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee weather.

Chryifiwant2 said...

"And hold fast to dreams of summer-
forever plump with promises..."

I'm pretty sure you just called summer fat...

Stephen T. McCarthy said...

I came here to bitch about the fact that your blog called "Blogarita" has a heading that no longer makes one think in the least about margaritas.

But then I read Chryifiwant2's comment and laughed out loud and totally forgot why I came here... until I remembered.

Hey! Can I express my honest opinion here without (also) losing your friendship (too)?

We need to lose that fuzzy, friendly, female fotograph at the top of your blog and replace it with something margarita-related. ...Either that or change the name of this blog to "Fuzzy, Friendly, Female Phunkiness".

Best margaritas ever? El Coyote Mexican Restaurant in L.A. Warren Zevon once sang of them: "All the salty margaritas in Los Angeles - I'm gonna drink 'em up!" (in the song "Desperados Under The Eaves").

I have actual fotos of the margaritas he wrote and sang about! I'll bet one of them would make a GREAT header foto for a blog called "Blogarita"! (Ya want I should send?)

Anyway... regardless of how "girlie" the blog heading might look, I will continue to "Follow" (...unless I start feeling TOO "fruity" - Ha!)

~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'

Rae said...

Okay- I'm workin' on changin the blog theme! I've just been drinking too many margaritas lately to give a crap!! ha- just kidding! But, yeah...the change is gonna come. Thanks for commenting!

Stephen T. McCarthy said...

RAE, My Friend ~
I hope you know that I was only teasing ya. Of course, you can make the heading be any ol' damn thing you want and I don't mind.

I do sometimes tend to tease people I like. Unfortunately, afterwards, sometimes THEY no longer like ME! (Uhp! I'm an idiot!)

But if I'm teasing someone, it's usually a pretty good indication that I actually like 'em.

>>...I've just been drinking too many margaritas lately to give a crap!!

Alright! Now we're talkin'!

In truth, I'm not a big tequila fan, but I sure do like an occasional margarita. And I ALWAYS have one or two on New Year's Day, which is a tradition my Pa (may he rest in peace) started back in '86.

For a couple of years, I've posted about it on January 1st, and I include the slogan I invented: "MARGARITA DAY: A Tradition Since 1986, Except For 1994."

So what happened in '94? Somehow my Pa and I both inexplicably forgot to get a maggie. (Uhp! We were idiots!)

But anyway, I DID like the heading you had once before. The background was a margarita-green color and the font you used for "Blogarita" was very bold and "fun" looking. It had an almost Latin-ized style to it, as I recall.

But, hey, you're the creative genius here in these parts; don't let me butt in. I'm just happy you've gone back to posting because I always thought your blog was one of the most entertaining that I "Followed".

Yak Later, Rae...

~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'

Stephen T. McCarthy said...

Oh, I'm seeing the change now. RAE, this looks GREAT!

In fact, it looks TOO great. It's making me crave one. Ha!

Yeah... THAT'S the font I was remembering. Fantabulous! I hope you like it even half as well as I do now, because it will assuage my guilty conscience for givin' ya 'ell about it. [;o)

~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'

Joanne said...

I love this you worded this perfectly! I have been wondering the same thing....spring and summer go by too fast and winter lingers to taunt us.
Blessings, Joanne

lvroftiques said...

Beautiful Rae....Although our summer was a skinny little anorexic bitch. *winks* Vanna