We've had another year of strange weather, including a very hot summer (we're not used to such things in Scotland!) definitely a year of climate change. I originally posted this poem back in June 2011 and am reposting it today for National Poetry Day. The theme of the Day this year is Change.
This poem is also relevant to the topic of change for two other reasons. Firstly, our mother has since passed away and I've rewritten the pome itself, you can read the updated version Weather Forecasting, here.
***
As posted in June 2011
Spring is happening earlier than it used to and real winters have returned to the UK. Our last two winters have had thick snow and ice across the country, after years of mild winters. I wrote this poem a few years ago, at the time I never thought we would see white winters again! And though I like to post things seasonally on this blog, I thought, that given the changing of our seasons, it would somehow be appropriate to post this winter poem at the beginning of summer.
Winter Garden
Even if you had first met my sister today
you would recognise her from this photo
from the early 70s. Wearing a flowery
anorak and a red bobble hat, she's holding
our mother's hand. Mum has a bad perm but
looks pretty much as she does now, just
younger. But the igloo wall in the suburban
garden deep in snow, you wouldn't believe
without the photo. This is Manchester,
England, half a lifetime ago.
**
As ever, red text contains hyperlinks that take you to other pages where you can find out more.
9 comments:
And who doesn't adore a red bobble hat?
Just reading the phrase makes me feel happy!
:)
Fabulous poem. You could really interpret these lines to fit with 'mother' nature also. Well done. I really enjoyed readin it.
Thanks for stopping by to visit with me yesterday. As always, I enjoyed having your company.
Thursday's post:
Honky-tonking and Wildflowers
Yes, Juliet, it's really strange (or is it?) that we have had such an early spring after such a hard winter. My instinct tells me that it would/should/could take plants etc. time to recover.
How amazing that you have been to Big Sur!
I just love it when we unknowingly record history and reread it later. It is interesting that the North Atlantic is getting colder winters despite warmer temperatures in much of the rest of the world. It is probably due to the gulf stream getting cut off because of denser (more fresh water) in the ocean from melting glaciers. Perhaps the beginning of the next ice age (still eons away).
The weather is all over the place, that's for sure. What a great snapshot poem.
2nd coldest and wettest Spring since record keeping around here.
Lots of potatoes grown around our area - usually planted about April 15. Today, June 2, I saw the first of this year's planting started.
Good poem.
I spent my childhood winters bathed in the Gulf stream so no hopes of an igloo, but strangely the Summers seemed hotter (I'm sure they weren't really)
Hi Juliet,
Lovely poem and sending my condolences, sorry to read of your Mothers passing.
Hugs
Carolyn
I enjoyed reading your poem.
All the best Jan
Post a Comment