Winter Song
The woodstove howls like a banshee
for the copperhead I killed in the fall
when it crawled from my dream into the kitchen
and laid at the threshold of girl becoming crone
The washing machine hums like a bard
spins the tale of a black bear intruder
the one that left paw prints in the garden
fresh scat at my front porch door
Thoughts turn to poisoned confrontations
and boundaries that were crossed
I save seeds for Persephone and grieve for Pandora
whose box is unlocked but too heavy to carry home
From an icy window pane
I watch the moon’s unrocked cradle
No lullaby for the child left alone
I sleep on the floor by a dying friend’s bed
and mark my territory with handwritten poems
The floorboards creak to the tick of time
and the shuffling sound of her breathing
Still, the sun rose radiant in the morning
and I named it after her
I joined friends in a circle at nightfall
held hands while she let go
To a slow low beat of drum
we walked a labyrinth of pine boughs
made bright with lit candles
on the longest night of the year
Under a graveyard of stars
we sang into silence
a community remembrance
of future thresholds to cross
_____________Colleen Redman – Written for Laurelsong and later published in Artemis Journal.
December 28th, 2011 5:09 am
BEAUTIFUL, my dear Colleen….Really Beautiful anf Thoughtful, too—A ‘Deep Thoughts’ Poem, for sure.
December 28th, 2011 10:27 am
What a perfect poem. Captures that mood and season. Pat yourself on the back!
December 28th, 2011 11:01 am
love it
December 28th, 2011 12:32 pm
She stopped breathing on Winter Solstice Eve, a week ago today.
December 28th, 2011 8:16 pm
wow great visuals in this…yikes on the copperhead…nice on sitting by the sick friends bed…def sets a tone through out …very well written…
December 28th, 2011 9:46 pm
Fantastic poem!!! I absolutely love the rhythm and gentle rhyme.
December 28th, 2011 11:34 pm
What a beautiful and perfect poem! I love it! and of course you! xox
December 29th, 2011 11:25 am
very nice poem! i can relate to it since i am from the rural south.
happy 2012!
randel
December 29th, 2011 11:34 am
This is like a slideshow, its so visual, each frame a perfect image. That first stanza is hard to top, with fine writing all through.
December 29th, 2011 11:34 am
ha nice..much enjoyed your winter song..great imagery in there..think the part which touched me most was..
I sleep on the floor by a sick friend’s bed
mark my territory with handwritten poems
December 29th, 2011 12:18 pm
Coleen I love this, thanks so much.
December 29th, 2011 12:36 pm
Hi Florence, Because of the wind our candles didn’t exactly light up the spiral as in years past. I wrote those lines just before it and from past experience. When I got home from actually walking the spiral this year I discovered that Laurelsong had passed away at the same time we were gathering. I wrote this about a week before she passed after spending a night with her and reflecting on things I’ve been presented with this year that have stretched and deepened me.
December 29th, 2011 4:33 pm
Lovely poem. Nice rhythm.
December 29th, 2011 5:44 pm
the moon’s unrocked cradle… very nice…
December 29th, 2011 6:28 pm
What a beautiful poem and way in which to honor your friend’s passing. Wishing you all the best – and a new year filled with creativity and light!
December 29th, 2011 8:17 pm
[…] 10. The woodstove howls like a banshee / for the copperhead I killed in the fall / when it crawled from my dream into my kitchen / and laid at the threshold of girl and crone / The washing machine hums like a bard / spins the tale of a black bear intruder / that left paw prints in my garden / fresh scat at my front porch door / Thoughts turn to poisoned confrontations / and boundaries that were crossed / I save seeds for Persephone and grieve for Pandora / whose box is unlocked but too heavy to bring home … More HERE. […]