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

32 comments:

Lisa Ursu said...

I love this post steven
thank you

Elisabeth said...

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

Dejemonos sorprender said...

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

all ways 11 o'clock said...

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

~robert

Reya Mellicker said...

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.

The Weaver of Grass said...

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

Pauline said...

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

ellen abbott said...

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.

Kay said...

such an amazing sky.....xx

SY said...

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

Friko said...

Again: breathtaking, words and pictures.

Jo said...

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.

Rachel Fenton said...

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

aguja said...

That amazing sky accompanying the turning world beneath.

Dulçe ♥ said...

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.

steven said...

liza - it's a shared pleasure! steven

steven said...

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

steven said...

matias - they are good lights!!! steven

steven said...

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

steven said...

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

steven said...

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

steven said...

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

steven said...

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

steven said...

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

steven said...

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

steven said...

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

steven said...

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

steven said...

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

steven said...

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

steven said...

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

Unknown said...

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

steven said...

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