Thursday, January 21, 2010

when silence becomes singing

an icicle
grows
outside my window

the sun fades
below the horizon

the beautiful whole
inside the beautiful part



i am a little church (far from the frantic
world with its rapture and anguish) at peace with nature
-i do not worry if longer nights grow longest;
i am not sorry when silence becomes singing

35 comments:

Kathleen said...

I am weeping. And I can say nothing more.

Dan Gurney said...

the part and the whole
inseparable, not two,
except in our minds.

Sid Smith said...

What a beautiful photograph, Steven!

Cummings is an especially apt choice when it comes to that whole world within a world vibe.

"as small as a world and as large as alone."

Stunning morning reading. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

I really like your clouds in that picture.

The words a melody of beauty.

Thanks for the faithful visits, Steven.

Elisabeth said...

The icicle against the pink and blue sky is just brilliant. So sharp and poignant and so short a lifespan.

steven said...

oh kathleen i hope you're feeling some happiness in there!!! have a peaceful day. steven

steven said...

dan more and more i wonder at our need to organize this place in the way we do. why do "real" things have to exist in the way they do? why does our mind need to make "sense" of tis place? it's early here but there you go. steven

steven said...

hey sid! great to see you visiting here. i'm glad that you appreciate cumming's words. there one small part of what got me started on the path towards beginning to think. have a lovely day up on the northeast coast. steven

steven said...

hi abe - it's truly a pleasure to visit your bloggy home! i had been hoping to see something lovely out the window - something with colour that hovered and then hovered inside the icicle. i lucked out!!!! steven

steven said...

elisabeth - ice is so much like the condition - ephemeral but always present in so many forms. this icicle has melted away since this photograph was taken and yet it could be hovering over your home in the form of a cloud or part of it could be exhaled through the neighbourhood cat's mouth!! it's all so connected. have a peaceful day. steven

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Stunning, steven! I love how hints of the sunset's colours are evident in the lone icicle. Your pairing it with cummings is perfect!

Jenny Stevning said...

"the beautiful whole
inside the beautiful part"
That is the kind of thing I needed to hear. It is the kind of statement that makes me go boneless and leave a string of stars as a comment because it is just so...so...yup, it is GOOD!
Thank you, Steven!

Anonymous said...

Thanks Steven. I just watched the rain forest that is showing on television and now I just watched it on my computer through YouTube videos.

Kathleen said...

Steven: Oh, yes. Tears of joy. Extreme beauty and children's recitals get me every time. I don't even have to know the kids. LOL! Thank you, Steven. That was extraordinary, even by your standards, and you set a very high bar! "Let the beauty we love be what we do," as you so kindly remind us. Peace~

Tess Kincaid said...

I love the notion of being a peaceful little church. Magnificent photo, as well. Yes, it's a perfect pairing.

Barry said...

As Bonnie said, and others implied, this is a perfect post Steven. The photograph in particular is unique and arresting and works on several levels. Paired with cummings, the silence becomes singing!

ellen abbott said...

Amazing pic steven. I almost hate to tell you that we are having days in the mid-70s and I saw the first of the spring wildflowers open yesterday.

Golden West said...

Love the contrast of the soft and dreamy clouds behind the sharp focus and reflective icicle - nicely done, Steven!

Linda Sue said...

Le sigh*** beautiful post gorgeous shot of the icicle against a perfect sky. You must have less pollution there- when we have icicles here they are not as clear.
( I can't believe- i spelled icicle- ice cycle at first- that just set me off down a whole different avenue) Thanks for this post as usual, I swoon...

The Weaver of Grass said...

I love ee cummings Stevne - one hears so little of him these days - I first met him with
anyone lives in a pretty how town many years ago. So glad you kept to his lower case letters. Lovely sentiments expressed too.

Titus said...

steven, that is quite simply one of the most stunning photographs I've seen. Beautiful.

hope said...

What a beautiful photo!

Walter my Guard Mockingbird might get replaced as a desktop photo for a day or two. With your permission, of course. :)

steven said...

bonnie thankyou very much! i am so glad you liked them side-by-side! steven

steven said...

jenny thanks for the rave review. it's the icicle that's the star!!!! look at it's simple passage through this place. one evening it carries the colours of a star inside it's form. how magical is that?!!! steven

steven said...

kathleen - i actually know what you mean. many times when i'm preparing a post and i lok at the photographs and read the words, i'm astonished at what i get to see and read. i'm really delighted that this place carries some of what i feel and certainly what i wish for others to feel through this strange medium. have a lovely evening and thanks for your thoughtful comments. steven

steven said...

willow thankyou so much - cummings' writing was enough to bowl me over when i read it and i knew that i needed a certain image. the feeling and event had to match the deep insight he had inside this writing. have a lovely evening at the manor. steven

steven said...

barry thankyou for your kindness here. i'm trying to keep things simple and rich and happily nature gives me great material. have a peaceful evening. steven

steven said...

ellen thanks but ya know what i'm good with spring somewhere in the world and i will be looking for some photo proof of the warmth over at your place!!! steven

steven said...

hi linda sue - there's an ice cycle here - well one kind anyway - this icicle came, posed, and went. that's a cycle of sorts. i'm so glad you enjoyed your visit. steven

steven said...

weaver thankyou. i've been an admirer of cummings' poetry for over thirty years. i love his words and his thinking. have a lovely evening in the dale. steven

steven said...

titus - wow! i'm really pleased that i could help create and share something that people really enjoyed.... have a lovely evening steven

steven said...

hope (and anyone else who might visit here) the photographs shared here are available to you to do what you wish with them. if you use them to make money i ask that some portion or the entire proceeds be used to support a charity. thanks hope!!! steven

♥ Boomer ♥ said...

incredibly beautiful

steven said...

boomer i'm so glad you think so. we're very very lucky to live in a day and age where it is commonplace to share beauty and extraordinary words. steven

Crafty Green Poet said...

lovely photo and words, e.e. cummings had such a way with words