Tuesday in the dVerse Poets Pub means time for Poetics .. Grace is hosting and reminds us "false spring" [ that fragile time between seasons ] provides great inspiration, literally and metaphorically, for composing poetry.
in my city we are promised winter
the honest kind that creaks bones of trees
writes its name in frosted breath
instead we got a half-hearted draft
a penciled-in season never pressing
hard enough to leave a mark
we donned coats in the morning
out of habit not necessity
gloves, scarves more nostalgia than need
somewhere winter was happening
rivers locked in thought
fields frozen clean, snowy white quiet
in my city we linger, a polite misunderstanding
a false spring that forgot its lines
a false winter that never learned them
A Wonderful poem, Helen. Your lines are full of great metaphor. I loved this set of lines:
ReplyDeletesomewhere winter was happening
rivers locked in thought
fields frozen clean, snowy white quiet
the habitual hat unneeded, great image that. we had a weak winter save for seven or eight days of single digits (f) when the river froze over. always a bumpy ride between seasons, and all too soon it’s on to the next one, but not quite. great juxtaposition at the end there
ReplyDeleteSo imaginitve, and tender feeling. I love these lines, "in my city we linger, a polite misunderstanding
ReplyDeletea false spring that forgot its lines
a false winter that never learned them"
This is such an amazing poem!!
I found this poem quite intriguing. NIcely done.
ReplyDeleteWonderful use of a false winter. Good imagery in your poem. 👏🏾👏🏾
ReplyDeleteI love the contrast between the honest winter with that ‘creaks bones of trees / writes its name in frosted breath’ and the half-hearted ‘pencilled-in season never pressing hard enough to leave a mark’. I feel sorry for the ‘false spring that forgot its lines’ and the ‘false winter that never learned them’. This year both winter and spring have had a bad review in the UK, Helen.
ReplyDeleteI love the theme of half-hearted winter. I can send you my full blasting winter right now. These lines are my favorite:
ReplyDeletea false spring that forgot its lines
a false winter that never learned them
"we donned coats in the morning
ReplyDeleteout of habit..."
Nice one, Helen
The weather has a mind of its own
Much love
What a beautifully crafted poem - I love it's gentleness of thoughts - Jae
ReplyDeleteThis is going on in so many cities, the seasonal rule become a crazed whim of this 'n' that. So much for postcards and travel posters.
ReplyDeleteI like how the ending turns the weather into a small stage play gone wrong. Nice write Helen 👏
ReplyDeleteLove this!
ReplyDeleteThis is so well-written, Helen! I so enjoyed this wonderful write about false winter.
ReplyDelete"in my city we linger, a polite misunderstanding
ReplyDeletea false spring that forgot its lines
a false winter that never learned them
Great lines, Helen!
Oh so very true…here in Bend :)
ReplyDelete