deep in the wintergreens
of twilight
it grows
where birds of song
vacate homes in
season’s passing,
gathering shadows of
keeping;
and berries, frozen—
are bejeweling
the trampled floor
of the forest wide
and deep
of her glacial heart
Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner
Oh, that first line is incredibly inciting. How could one not read all the way through... but the ending feel sad, though this morning the forest floor is certainly a bit glacial with snow on the ground.
ReplyDeleteLaura, I'm glad it captured you. I wrote this as a natural and metaphorical piece so the sadness is definitely intended. Thanks for reading!
Deletethe circle of life....how bittersweet the journey can be.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a very magical place to go. As if one ought to tip-toe through in case it disturbs the magic... shhh
ReplyDeleteBeautiful write.
ha I love that...shh...definitely...
DeleteEnjoyed this very much. You chose beautiful words. "Wintergreens of twilight," for example. You worked so much into this verse...the sadness of the birds leaving, the frozen berries on the forest floor. A dense poem I read a few times & loved!
ReplyDeleteMary what a great compliment to me on this write! Thanks so much.
Deletelovely images here.loved it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you did :)
DeleteI am blessed that some songsters come to visit my southern woods, so the place is not so hollow in this season. Thanks for a reminder.
ReplyDeleteNice...thanks Libby.
DeleteThis is a very beautiful lyrical poem.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Kerry.
Deletebeautiful images,lovely poem
ReplyDeleteThanks T!
DeleteI like the dense imagery of this poem, like a winter forest.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it p-d, thanks for commenting.
DeleteI agree with Laura--your beginning is so captivating--just a beautiful write Jennifer
ReplyDeleteThanks Audrey, I appreciate your kind words, as always.
DeleteOh how I enjoyed my walk 'deep in the wintergreens of twilight.' Such a lovely ode to the change of season.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much WS, really enjoyed your poem this week too!
DeleteVery beautiful imagery in this poem. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Sherry.
DeleteYou made me ponder the feeling of an icy-cold heart. I have never had that experience, until now of course. Your writing made it so. And, by the way, on a more temporal note, I enjoyed the vicarious sensation of winter in short sleeves and flip-flops as my Sonora Desert resists cooler daytime temps.
ReplyDeleteYou got the double meaning...and flip-flops! I may need to live vicariously through you a bit! :-) Thanks so much Kim--always love your thoughtful comments to my posts.
DeleteWhat a beautiful and powerful image... I especially liked
ReplyDeleteand berries, frozen—
are bejeweling
the trampled floor
How elegant is that!
Thank you so much Serena!
DeleteA beautiful write. I read it a few times. I love "gathering shadows of keeping". It coveys the essence of winter so well.
ReplyDeleteI'm partial to that line myself...thanks so much Karen.
Deleteaha...beautiful imagery, poet laundry! Great composition:)
ReplyDeleteThank you Panchali :)
Deletefirst, i loved the forest as i escape there often...but the turn as well to it being in her heart...and the cold...it is sad...and turns many of the other phrases as well into something more to ponder...
ReplyDeleteI love the scene in the natural too...a forest in winter holds a certain lovely ambiance. But flip to a person, not so enchanting. Thanks Brian, you are always so on point.
DeleteVery intense and you really nailed the ending, greatly enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteThanks rch.
DeleteOh, how beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHow stunning!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your kind words!
Deletebejeweling
ReplyDeletethe trampled floor
of the forest
Beautifully expressed Jenny! That whiff of goodness is very necessary to right the wrongs afflicting others.
Hank
Oh I like that Hank...
DeleteVery intense. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThank you Mad!
DeleteI'm marveling at the imagery here. Each one holds a lonely beauty.
ReplyDeleteKaren, thank you!
DeleteThe meaning struck me on one level, but the pace and rhythm was what really impressed me with this
ReplyDelete" the trampled floor
of the forest wide and deep"
particularly. Trampled is one of those sort of one and a half syllable words and it works so well here.
Thank you very much Simon :)
Deletemakes me relive childhood explorations inthe woods. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by my blog Emma, I appreciate it!
DeleteLovely details of nature ~ I like this line:
ReplyDeletegathering shadows of keeping ~And her glacial heart, adds depth to the tranquility ~
Thanks Grace. I'm a big fan of your poetry, thanks again for commenting on the piece.
DeleteI'm a bit of a poetic ignoramus, so may I ask a few questions:
ReplyDeleteWhy the title "hollow"?
What is "it" in the third line?
THanx
Put my reply to this just below in your additional comment/question...
DeletePS -- don't know if you know this. But there is no option to be able to follow the comment thread by e-mail. Could you activate that?
ReplyDeleteThe definition of hollow is: having a space or cavity inside; empty; or it can mean a valley. I wrote this piece to be read literally and metaphorically. A hollow, “a forest valley,” in winter “empty” of songbirds, to be literal. And, as a metaphor, an icy heart growing more alone and empty. Thus the “it” that grows is the hollow itself…the space, the cavity, the emptiness. Also, you can have post comments delivered to your email if you have a Blogger/Google account.
DeleteWhat a wonderful compliment Lolly, thank you.
ReplyDeleteAh, now the "subscribe" option is there -- thanx.
ReplyDeleteAh, so the "It" is "The Hollow" -- got it.
Thanx
Welcome. Thanks for coming by.
DeleteLovely imagery :)
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
DeleteThe imagery in this poem is so incredibly vivid...it left me speechless.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great compliment Keith, thank you.
Deletethere is something about the frozen berries bedazzling the ground...lovely.
ReplyDeleteThere is something about them I agree. Thanks RMP.
DeleteHow beautiful to find this poem today... each word paints a silent, but not so silent, winter wood... my favorite are the last two lines, thank you for this these bedazzling gems of words!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed it Lea--I so enjoyed your comment.
Deletei love this one the most (of all i hv read till now)..
ReplyDeleteits amazing how you read some lines or words and feel better..
glacial heart... mesmerizing..
i m hungry for more Poet.. :)
What a wonderful compliment, thank you :)
DeleteI swear I saw frost on my screen after reading this one, Poet Laundry. Loved it!
ReplyDelete