Sunday, March 7, 2010

frost feathers

it's known that
in the most distant visible reaches
of the universe
you can see the progressive buildup of galaxies.

it's believed that a very long time ago
small objects accreted mass
to form bigger objects,
"like streams merging into tributaries and then into a bay."

when i
look at frost
on a fence
(a night's work)

it seems to me
no less significant
an accomplishment
than the formation of a galaxy-


i see
the tiniest
vaporous accretions
consolidating
into one fragile
feather
of frozen water
stretching across an infinitude of space

carefully spread
and strangely interconnected
on
the latticework
of my perception

23 comments:

Dan Gurney said...

Both galaxies and frost feathers come to be within your mind. Since both inspire wonder in you, they do, in those ways, actually approach parity. Fantastic photo of frost feathers! Thank you for posting them in high resolution so we can see them up close.

Kay said...

I'd like to sit awhile on your bench....watch the everchanging clouds and listen to the whispering of the waves...what a peaceful image you have as your new header...xx

Elisabeth said...

The lattice work of your perception, Steven, is highly attuned to seeing things that most of us miss. Thanks for bringing them alive in these most extraordinary ways.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

It is a delight to awaken and discover intricate designs on your window. And these feathers of frost are magical. Beautifully described steven.

Pauline said...

A creative poem about creation! And that photograph! You have a knack for making the smallest thing seem big indeed. Thanks for sharing :)

Pauline said...

Steven - just FYI. I had to change my URL from the old one to www.writingdownthewords.blogspot.com

The former URL was shipping people off to a mega-religious site that I am not affiliated with.

Thanks,
P

Golden West said...

You and I both have pictures of chain link fences today, but with different kinds of "growth"!

Reya Mellicker said...

These are such exquisite images and thoughts, Steven. No doubt the micro universe reflects the macro. No doubt!

steven said...

hi dan, i see that. both are creations/formations/accretions that are a way for the mind to make sense of something other. all the photos i post here are in high resolution. that way if one catches someone's fancy they can click on it and elnlarge it, print it off, whatever they wish!!! have a peaceful sunday dan. steven

steven said...

hello kay - that bench is a place i hope to visit again and see what i can see. it is lovely there. i am glad you imagined yourself sitting and appreciating that wonderful view! have a lovely day. steven

steven said...

elisabeth - thankyou for this thoughtful comment. i think we al see things differently. i bet that walking down the street with you, if we compared notes we'd each see such different things. that'd be a laugh - comparing notes after a shared experience!!! steven

steven said...

thankyou bonnie. steven

steven said...

pauline - and the smallest thing is the same as the biggest!!! steven

steven said...

hi golden west i've not visited my fave places for a week now. i needed space and time for the overwhelming needs of last week. i'll nip over and have a look-see later. steven

steven said...

reya thankyou. i do think there's a micro macro link through the great present moment!!! no doubt at all!! steven

Tess Kincaid said...

That is an amazing photo, Steven. I love the contrast of the design and hardness of the chain link fence and the soft feathery frost. Fabulous!! Hope you're enjoying a peacefull Saturday, my friend. xx

Tess Kincaid said...

heehee...make that Sunday! :)

Barry said...

I quite agree Steven. It's just a matter of scale. A little miracle is no less a miraculous.

steven said...

hey willow - great to see you!!! thanks for your kind comment and also for momentarily allowing me to reexperience saturday!!! however, i made it sunday so here we both are!!! steven

steven said...

hey barry!!! miracles and other acts of quality know no scale. they are outside of quantity i so agree. have a lobely day my friend. steven

Caroline Gill said...

Such beauty in frost and ice crystals, Steven. We were watching a programme yesterday about UK writers (at the time of Sir Christopher Wren) who began to use microscopes and to record what they saw in drawings. It's a lesson to look and look again - it is so easy to miss the little things in life.

steven said...

hello carolyn - it amazes me! i sometimes wish that our eyes were able to zoom in and out because as you say, there is so much to see and we miss so much through the deficiencies of our eyesight as much as the deficiencies of our inner eyes. steven

Delwyn said...

Hi Steven

thank you for another moment of awe...

Happy days