
Ask for bluest sky–
still, the wind will sigh,
fly cold cloud-cover to hover—and yet
the tree will see, embrace
glow-diffused light. A shadow traced
on snow-kissed ground–grace, erased,
hope lost, then found. Seasons entwined,
winter’s signature signed in white-on-green–
beauty seen.
A quadrille for my prompt at dVerse. The prompt word is “embrace.” A quadrille is a dVerse poetry form, a poem in any style of 44-words. If you’d like, come join us. My photos are doing double-duty.
I love the winter snow… it’s exactly like this, and we walk and ski every day at the moment. It feels less burdensome during the pandemic when you have the sun on snow.
Thank you. Yes, you’re right. The other day it got sunny and warm, but there was snow. It was so pretty.
The sun has very little warmth yet… so it’s more sunny and cold here.
Our temperatures have been all over the place in the last few weeks from teens to near 60 F, but mostly just around the freezing mark.
This is breathtakingly beautiful, Merril! 💝 I love; “glow-diffused light,” and “winter’s signature signed in white-on-green.” You make me long to go and enjoy some snow up in the north.
Aww–thank you so much, Sanaa! ❤️
You’re most welcome! xx
Beautiful poem and stunning images, Merril! I especially love the phrase‘fly cold cloud-cover to hover’ and the internal rhyme of ‘Seasons entwined, winter’s signature signed’.
Thank you so much, Kim!
I love the thought of the tree embracing light. Beautiful Merril.
Thank you so much, Linda!
I love how this dances along, linked by those internal rhymes. So delicate and joyful!
Thank you so much, Jane. Lately I seem full of rhyme! 😀
It happens. And you think in rhyme all the time. See?
Hahaha. 😀
Very pretty image of the shadow of the tree on the snow. Thank goodness for the brightness of the snow in winter. I like white signature on green.
Thank you very much, Lisa. It’s amazing how the snow brightens!
You’re welcome ❤
I love the rhyming couplets (and triplets) here combined with some lovely alliteration and assonance: ‘fly cold cloud-cover to hover.’ A delightful linguistic embrace!
Thank you so much, Ingrid. I love “a delightful linguistic embrace!” 💙
So do I 🤗
😀
I like the seasonal entanglement and the way you shift our focus from different perspectives. Enjoyed!
Thank you so much!
A wonderful joyful romp, and delightful read. Your rhymes, alliteration and line breaks are complex and inspiring.
Thank you very much, Glenn! That’s very kind.
I love, love, love the rhythm and rhyme here. Did I say I LOVED it? If not, I just love it. 😁
It stirs along melancholy but then as the light shines, one can find a hope stare back. Perhaps it was lost in a moment of time, but it can reflect back again and we can embrace it like the seasons in times of its highs and lows. That’s what I got from this poem. Such a beautiful, stirring piece. I love its realism, along with the figurative imagery of the nature and winter. It’s remarkable:
“the tree will see, embrace
glow-diffused light. A shadow traced
on snow-kissed ground–grace, erased…”
You are a true wordsmith, Merril! The imagery itself diffused here is like a painting you can’t look away from. It’s that captivating. ❤ ❤
What a lovely, lovely, thoughtful, comment, Lucy. I so appreciate your close reading and interpretation. I think you got was in the back of my brain! I’m so pleased that you LOVED it! 💙
I loved this, Merril! It’s absolutely beautiful.
Thank you so much, Jill!
Beautifully done Merril. Love the images of winter and….
A shadow traced
on snow-kissed ground–grace, erased,
hope lost, then found.
Thank you so much, Dwight! I’m pleased it resonated with you.
You are welcome!
We’re privileged to embrace the beauty of nature daily should we choose. At the moment I’m embracing the serenity of a new snowfall. There is something so calming about drifting snowflakes!
Thank you, Beverly. I agree! You put the link to the dVerse post in Mister Linky. Can you go back and put in the link to your blog post?
Merril the Musicmaker, they should call you. very cool.
Hahaha. Thank you, Ron! 😀
what a refreshing embrace as we face another hot humid day … feel suitably cooled by your lyrical lines!
Haha–good news all around. Thank you!
Merril Beverly Crawford’s entry links back to your d’Verse post … any chance of changing that please, much thanks!
Yes, I told her, and she added a new link.
thanks!
Gorgeous wintry images
Happy Monday
Much💗love
Thank you!
I agree…this is a gorgeous quadrille, Merril! Thanks for the prompt 🙂
Thank you so much, Lynn, and I’m so pleased you like the prompt!
Gorgeous yes … reads like a film strip being fed thru a projector, the flow and pacing is perfect. PS every time I see your blog I want to grab a drink of something on ice.
Thank you so much, Helen. I love that image of the film strip. 😀
That’s so funny. Last year we didn’t have any snow, and it was very mild. Before long, you’ll be seeing flowers on my blog–I hope!
Favorite line:
fly cold cloud-cover to hover
Thank you very much!
Beautiful rhythm of the season … Second stanza is my favorite! Well done, Merril.
Thank you so much, Frank!
You’ve added beauty to the winter season, Merril.
Thank you so much, Eugenia
My pleasure, Merril.
The line that resonates most for me in your lovely poem is “Ask for bluest sky–” As soon as I read the line, I saw that bluest sky I love so much, even though it is now pitch black outside my window.
Oh, how lovely, Liz. I’m so pleased my words took you there!
🙂
What lovely imagery you give us today as we sit in a balmy 80 degrees in Florida ☺️ Thanks Merril
Thank you so much, Christine! 😀
The poem with the picture are both breathtaking and moving. They hyphens work well! 😍
Thank you so much, Tricia! 💙
Simply beautiful, Merril.
Thank you for brightening my morning.
-David
Thank you for the lovely comment, David!
I like the “Seasons entwined” vision
Thank you, Derrick.
Trees embrace many things, but light is the most magical. (K)
Thank you very much. I think you’re right.
I noticed many people wrote about trees. They are on our collective minds.
Interesting. That could be–people seeing bare trees now and thinking of spring, perhaps.
The moment or event of hope lost and found is something, resonates, and winter is just so.
Thank you, Paul.
Very welcome Merril
Colors evoke emotions and sensations in a profound way. The white on green in winter is the epitome of hope… life goes on. Love it!
Thank you so much, Susan!
I absolutely love the first two lines of this poem…wow! Of course, the whole poem is beautiful, and the photos are amazing.
Thank you so much, Linda! That’s so very kind.
Lovely poem and beautiful photos. I know you like writing formal poetry. Have you written villanelles? I have the idea of searching for the repeated lines in poems I never finished.
Thank you very much, Luanne. I’m not sure that I do like writing formal poetry, but sometimes I do it as a challenge. 😀I’ve only written a few villanelles. They’re really hard, and I’m not very good at sonnets.
Do you mean write a poem made up of lines from other poems you’ve never finished? Like a cento drawn from your own work?
I meant to look for good lines for the two repeating villanelle lines. Of course I did not find anything. I did learn the secret of writing a villanelle though. First you create those two lines to be together at the end and then you write the rest of the poem. I don’t like writing formal poetry very much, but I do love sonnets and have written a lot of “ approximately sonnets.”
I think that’s what I ended up doing the last time I tried a villanelle. The sonnet I wrote this morning came out better than I thought it would. Maybe the secret is to write it first thing in the morning–like really first thing. 😀
Lol. Whatever works!
I actually love the snow. I cannot bear winter without it – so dark and drab but bring in snow and everything lights up. Lovely quadrille!
Thank you very much, Dale.
It’s good you live where you do. 😀 The snow is pretty, and this year, we’ve had enough that it’s pretty without really having to deal with the huge piles of plowed stuff.
Maybe I have that attitude to help me be able to bear it! I would be good with snow from mid-December to end of February. After that? Nah… I’m done with it! Of course, if I still skied, it would be another story…😉😊
I have never skied. And I’ve only ice-skated once.
I haven’t skied in 30 years. I used to figure skate a hundred years ago and haven’t touched my skates in eons…
😀
❤Beautiful.
I embrace your poem and marvelous photos!
Thanks, Pam!😀
Loved the way the images complimented the poem. I admire snow until it hangs around for awhile. Then it becomes a nuscience.
Thank you! I agree. 😀
We’re embracing some deep cold right now, so the thought of days of light is welcome.
btw… Thank you for the prompt, Merril. I seem to be stalled lately when it comes to writing, so I’ve been relying on prompts when possible, and yours never fail.
You’re very welcome, Ken. It’s hard for me to come up with prompts, so I’m pleased you’ve enjoyed mine.
This is such a beautiful piece 💙💙💙💙
Thank you so much!
You’re very welcome
Winter is over here, and it’s a start of spring. Unfortunately we didn’t see much snow this time.
But this post reminds me of my old days when I used to spend my winter holidays at my Grandma’s house.
I love it.
Thank you! I’m glad my words brought fond memories. Last year we didn’t have any snow–usually we get at least a little bit.
Yep, it was such a good read.
😀
Ah the tree is glorious in all weather….it glistens in the winter snow or in winter’s ice. It flirts with sun through its leaves. It weeps in rain. I love this poem and the description here.
I must say….I watched television from Tuesday noon until Saturday afternoon – every single minute of the impeachment trial. I’m an old debater: high school and university…so the process enthralled me. Hence late reading and not entries on Tuesday or Thursday. But I did see history made. Just wish the verdict had been different. But all is now etched in history.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Lillian. I never got to do prompts on Tuesday or Thursday either. It was hard to get stuff in–I listened mostly rather than watched. Though there was only so much I could take of Trump’s defense team. UGHHH!
Brilliant poetry, such a talented writer i look forward to reading more.
Thank you so much!
Well… winter at its best beautiful inside and out
Thank you!
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I love the visual accompaniment to the verse. Well done. 👍
Thank you! 😀