Saturday, October 2, 2010

the window

my eyes
lead me along
the gravelled driveway

beneath my feet
the sugared crunch
of a thousand tiny frozen ponds

i look up
at the old farmhouse

an agreement between timber and stone
slate and milk paint
has brought this building
through time to this moment

living through
star-filled skies
buzzing cicadas
and winter storms
children and wakes

she had said, "use the back stairs.
he'll hear us but he won't know who you are."

the chill wind
thin with november frost
wraps its bony fingers
about my body

i lean into its icy hands
holding fear's
hollow warmth
inside

at the back of the farmhouse
a screen door
screen flapping uselessly

i pull my gloves off
grasp the thin metal handle
and pull it open

facing me
a painted deep-brown door

do i knock?

do i turn the handle
and walk inside
this stranger's home?

do i walk back along the driveway?

a tapping sound
draws my eyes skywards
to a lone window

tall and narrow

gauzy curtains billow outwards
into the now soft falling snow

i see something of her face

"let yourself in"
she says.

she's there
in all the soft silences
of my remembering


to read
other responses to this visual prompt visit magpie tales

46 comments:

Elisabeth said...

The soft silence of my remembering - sweetest of words, Steven. Resonant with imagery.

steven said...

elisabeth, this little story comes from a long ago truth. steven

Reya Mellicker said...

Wow.

When I saw your new banner, I said "OH MAN!" out loud. Then I read your poem. Brought tears to my eyes. Thank you!

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

very pleasant read...
lovely magpie.

steven said...

reya - i know! the leaves are so stunning, especially down by the river where they get the morning mists and i think this helps make their colours even richer. i'm glad you liked the little story. it's part of a much bigger one of course but putting it into words - well this was what i could manage!!!steven

steven said...

thankyou jingle. steven

Golden West said...

Great way to start the day - a punch of color and a most intriguing read - thanks, Steven!

R. Burnett Baker said...

Wonderful story/poem, Steven. It invoked a kind of anticipation in me, as I will be visiting the unoccupied house on my grandparents' farm in a couple of weeks: What "soft silences of my remembering" will stir my mind and heart??

Rick

steven said...

golden west - thanks very much. i am glad to share both. steven

steven said...

richard - that's a story i'd be interested in reading. returning to an old space in your becoming is sure to bring back memories and then also wishes. steven

hope said...

Lovely start to my week off!

And the leaves are gorgeous!

Myrna R. said...

Lovely story. I could almost feel myself approaching the farm house.

Enjoyed it very much.

steven said...

ellen yes. it might not be onvious but i'm a romantic. steven

steven said...

hope - a week off!! that seems like a fantastic idea!!! steven

steven said...

hello myrna! i'm sure that as readers connect the words to their own experiencing the farm looks different to each. i'm hoping that the sensations of my experiencing carry across the ether. steven

Helen said...

Steven .. this is lovely. In addition to a great Magpie, we are treated to a magnificent blog header photo!

Brian Miller said...

in the back door, he will hear but not know...opened up a lot of wondering and mystery for me...nice magpie...

Unknown said...

The last two lines are absolutely stunning. Stunning. Great Mag. Love and Light, Sender

Unknown said...

those leaves really do look like goldfish :)

steven, this is a wonderful memory vividly told...my senses were totally drawn in.

Hope you are enjoying the beauty of the season where you are

Rene

Kay said...

' a long ago truth'...how intriging..too beautiful steven...that willow is everywhere this week!! ;)..xx

Acornmoon said...

Have you posted this before, I am feeling deja vous?
Like revisiting a place in a dream, or maybe your writing reminds me of a half forgotten dream.

Susannah said...

Wow, this is really beautiful! I love the scene painted by your words.

What a wonderful Magpie. :-)

steven said...

helen thankyou very much for those kind words!!! steven

steven said...

hello brian!! i wanted to leave a sense of unknowing in the piece. i'm glad that carries through the words. nice to meet you. steven

steven said...

sender thankyou for the kind words and the generous wishes. steven

steven said...

rene the leaves do look like fish! ha!!! i love the autumn and writing this memory - which came from an autumn long ago - is a piece of the remembering that the arrival of autumn does for me each year. lovely to meet you. steven

steven said...

kay i could tell more but them everyone would know!!! steven

steven said...

acornmoon this piece was written one day ago - it's new!!! hmmmmm now what little piece of your remembering is peeking over the window ledge?!!! steven

steven said...

susannah thankyou. the real memory is among my favourites to replay!! steven

cheryl said...

"an agreement between timber and stone" such a beautiful phrase. Such a wonderful memory.

steven said...

cheryl thankyou so much!!! steven

ms pie said...

a lovely view of the window... funny how time plays tricks on us...

Reflections said...

Love the rich texture, a little mystery, and then remembering with such beauty.... nice.

Jinksy said...

the sugared crunch
of a thousand tiny frozen ponds

Mmmm...the whole of this Magie tale is sweetened by your choice of words.

Tess Kincaid said...

A gorgeous, poignant write, Steven. I especially love "an agreement between timber and stone" and that quintessential screen door. Thank you for gracing Magpie Tales with your words, my friend.

Carrie Van Horn said...

A lovely remembrance...Steven. The imagery is amazing! :-)

steven said...

hello ms pie!! my remembering of this experience is crystal clear. but whose crystal is it i am seeing it all through?! steven

steven said...

hello reflections . . . mystery and beauty run like braided rivers through my own remembering of the very best, the most wistful memories. steven

steven said...

jinksy - it's a bittersweet memory but this aspect of it is entirely sweet as you surmise from my choice of words!! steven

steven said...

willow- i would tell more but telling - well it tells doesn't it!!! thankyou for opening the door with the lovely photograph willow! steven

steven said...

carrie thankyou. i'm not an accomplished writer but i work at the tiny moments of my experiencing in the hope that perhaps someone will see inside the broken glass window of my remembering. steven

Tumblewords: said...

Exquisite imagery! Stunning poetry!

steven said...

tumblewords thankyou very much!!! steven

kathi harris said...

The imagery is grand.

hedgewitch said...

I don't know which is more alive, the immediacy of the environment,with its crunching ice droplet ponds, the carefully built backstory of the house, or the delicate, condensed beauty of the memory, light as a feather falling to end a perfect sequence. Best thing I've read in awhile. Very glad I made it by.

Tess Kincaid said...

Steven, you linked to this older Magpie post in Mr. Linky. Please add your wonderful latest post to Magpie!