Wednesday, February 2, 2011

turning

on this day
everything is holding its place
under the clouds

my body turns
my mind holds still

one hand earthward
the other towards the sky
until
the entire detail
of everything
that is
floods through


the sky above the roof
so blue, so calm!
a tree, above the roof
waves its crown.

the bell in the sky we see,
gently rings.
a bird in the tree over there
sings his complaint.


words excerpted from le ciel est, par-dessus le toit by paul verlaine
at

32 comments:

  1. Lisa UrsuFebruary 2, 2011 at 12:36 AM

    I love this post steven
    thank you

    ReplyDelete
  2. ElisabethFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:05 AM

    Ah the glorious sky. What would we do without such a roof?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dejemonos sorprenderFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:25 AM

    Hi! very beautiful sky.. lights are very nice..

    ReplyDelete
  4. all ways 11 o'clockFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:27 AM

    It is grand that you have brought Paul Verlaine here. Thank you. Good morning.

    ~robert

    ReplyDelete
  5. Reya MellickerFebruary 2, 2011 at 8:49 AM

    Ha. Just posted. The word "turn" is in the title of my post as well. It's Imbolc, Candlemas, Groundhog Day ... the halfway point between solstice and equinox. The light is returning! Oh yeah.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The Weaver of GrassFebruary 2, 2011 at 9:37 AM

    Beautiful skies - I do hope you are not in for a deluge of snow though.

    ReplyDelete
  7. PaulineFebruary 2, 2011 at 11:09 AM

    such gorgeous skies - even a little bit of light is beautiful, yes?

    ReplyDelete
  8. ellen abbottFebruary 2, 2011 at 11:15 AM

    I grew up on the flat coastal plains and it is where I still live. flat land but huge sky! when I go to the mountains, the thing I miss the most is the sky.

    ReplyDelete
  9. KayFebruary 2, 2011 at 12:36 PM

    such an amazing sky.....xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. SYFebruary 2, 2011 at 12:46 PM

    some things are so beautiful that you have to just stop and stare for a while!
    -sy

    ReplyDelete
  11. FrikoFebruary 2, 2011 at 12:52 PM

    Again: breathtaking, words and pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  12. JoFebruary 2, 2011 at 2:12 PM

    Magnificent photos, Steven.

    The poetry is beautiful, but after today, I believe the birds have reason to "complaint!"

    Promise to be careful on your excursions, Steven.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Rachel FentonFebruary 2, 2011 at 4:24 PM

    Your header photo alone would have been enough to make my day - Verlaine, too - smiles all round.

    ReplyDelete
  14. agujaFebruary 2, 2011 at 4:37 PM

    That amazing sky accompanying the turning world beneath.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Dulçe ♥February 2, 2011 at 5:30 PM

    Qu'as-tu fait, ô toi que voilà
    Pleurant sans cesse,
    Dis, qu'as-tu fait, toi que voilà,
    De ta jeunesse ?

    Years without reading this great poet.great excerption you've done.
    That sky I must hold and make my shelter, today...
    Thanks Steven.
    D.

    ReplyDelete
  16. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:42 PM

    liza - it's a shared pleasure! steven

    ReplyDelete
  17. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:43 PM

    elisabeth - it's our most special leaky roof - it lets everything in! steven

    ReplyDelete
  18. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:43 PM

    matias - they are good lights!!! steven

    ReplyDelete
  19. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:46 PM

    robert - i think that verlaine is so clever and masterful and because the translations are so intriguing in their sometimes literal take on his words i'm drawn to the many doors and windows that his words provide. steven

    ReplyDelete
  20. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:50 PM

    reya - i knew about the turn today and it brought me to remember the turning of the mevlevi dervishes - especially the palm opened upwards to the sky and the other palm opened earthwards . . . nice to turn alongside you reya!!! steven

    ReplyDelete
  21. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:51 PM

    weaver it's fairly deep and of course it's very cold but i'm glad everyone i know is safe! steven

    ReplyDelete
  22. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:51 PM

    pauline - so very yes. every little ray is a gift!! steven

    ReplyDelete
  23. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:52 PM

    ellen - i love the big skies of north america but i wish to see the really big skies of the west. i want to see them from my bike. that's a big wish. but i'll ask it all the same. steven

    ReplyDelete
  24. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:52 PM

    kay yes and i'm so thrilled to have this place to share it!!! steven

    ReplyDelete
  25. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:55 PM

    sy - that's exactly my experience. sometimes as i walk along i'm called back or i'm drawn to a halt and i don't know why until i look around and realize what it is that i was meant to see and would otherwise miss. steven

    ReplyDelete
  26. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:55 PM

    friko - thankyou. we're very fortunate to have this place to celebrate our beautiful home. steven

    ReplyDelete
  27. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:57 PM

    jo - yes the poor birds, the squirrels, well they're all lying low. except one group of nine canada geese who at the height of the storm in almost white out conditions came from the west honking and holding formation. grey blurs - that's what i saw. but i could hear them talking. steven

    ReplyDelete
  28. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:58 PM

    rachel thankyou. i very much like the header photo myself. verlaine is an old new friend. i hope to work alongside his words some more. steven

    ReplyDelete
  29. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:59 PM

    aguja - yes they are hand-in-hand and connected beyond even that. steven

    ReplyDelete
  30. stevenFebruary 2, 2011 at 6:08 PM

    dulce thankyou for the lovely words!
    "what hast thou done, o you that here
    crying incessantly,
    say, what did you do, you over there,
    of your youth?"
    steven

    ReplyDelete
  31. UnknownFebruary 2, 2011 at 7:58 PM

    The cloud pictures looks very much like those in the skies artists of the romantic period would paint.
    (early 18th century). The words of Verlaine circle me and pull me into his space. I was too stormed in today to notice the turning though.

    My brother and I have been out shoveling snow all day. It will probably take the whole other half of the winter to melt all of it away.
    Did you get the storm? TDSB (unbelievably) actually had a snow day.

    Thanks for sharing this Steven. It gives a special feeling to an otherwise very busy day. =D

    ReplyDelete
  32. stevenFebruary 4, 2011 at 9:50 PM

    hi linda, these photographs are a few days old. the little part of the world you and i inhabit comes close to sharing weather of course. steven

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.