I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

21 June 2014

Love's Winter

As the light became broken
into smaller and smaller pieces of day,

as the nights became colder,
enfolding the houses and making them caves

he was restless and secretly wanting to go.
There was only one regret. He wanted to get

for her, beautiful earrings. He'd seen them;
they were full of light. They would brighten her dark

after he went away. But his time had broken
into smaller and smaller spaces of light

in which he could move and create. Instead
he would tell her, "Get yourself some roses,"

and she would — red roses for love;
he was still her lover....  And still to this day

she thinks of him when she sees red roses.
So it was natural, on seeing those earrings —

no, not the ones full of light, but dark red,
carved like roses — it was natural, I say,

she should think of him as she bought for herself
beautiful earrings, light in her hand, shaped like roses.


In response to Poets United's Midweek Motif — Light and Dark
and dVerse's Meeting the Bar ~ Repetition, Repetition, Repetition

I'm glad people like this poem.  I left it slightly mysterious, as trying to incorporate factual explanations seemed to overweight it. However there is a back story. I hope you read the poem first, but if you then want to know its origins, go here.

24 comments:

  1. oh, how beautiful -- "Love's Winter", a perfect title...so very nice, Rosemary!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ha! The mystical atmosphere that arises in this poem of loss and love and fated earrings keeps me from condemning the deserter of Love's Winter.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ah!such a beautiful.remembrance of love every.time she saw those earrings.

    ReplyDelete
  4. i am sad for the man, unable to get her the earrings...or unwilling...to only give her money and have her get the roses as well...i wonder what it was with him that gave such restraint?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I wanted to keep this one a bit mysterious. :)

      Delete
  5. Beautiful melancholy, Rosemary - and really great use of repeated themes.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a lovely story Rosemary ~ I like the ending very much, though sad:

    she should think of him as she bought for herself
    beautiful earrings, light in her hand, shaped like roses.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Fantastic! I hope the earrings whisper "I love you" so she remembers to keep his light in her heart. <3

    ReplyDelete
  8. I want to see you wearing those earrings of light - their beams swayin' from your ears, making you stand out like the one who was then, is now, and will be loved, loving and lovable.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow! That's beautiful.
    I always read your poems aloud, quietly, to myself. They're a joy - albeit usually a sad or moving joy.
    Thanks for sharing,
    Cheryl

    ReplyDelete
  10. Deeply touching...there's a sublime feel in the lines you have created Rosemary .....darkness and sorrow transforming into light ...the first two lines are so delicate....a beautiful write...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Somehow I feel an all to common story when we cannot make up our mind and communicate in gifts or in words to really open up our hearts and get those ear-rings or say those words that would have made all the difference.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you all for the kind comments. I left the poem a little mysterious deliberately, which of course makes it open to various quite valid interpretations. However there is a back story, and I have now added a link to it at the end of the post.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I think this is a beautiful story. I read the back story, too...got chills. What a beautiful love the two of you obviously shared.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I thought this was a beautiful, well-written poem. And then I read the backstory, and now I'm speechless. Wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Mysterious and lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  16. This felt to me as though the man was no longer able to go out and buy the roses himself (again, winter of one's years), and after he has passed, she is able to move more freely, yet still remember the roses in this little purchase. Love does have that season, although most are loath to admit it! Very much appreciated, Rosemary. Peace, Amy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Quite right, dear Amy! But perhaps that interpretation is clearest to those who are aware of my circumstances.

      Delete
  17. Rosemary, this touches my heart so much, as does the back story. Dear Andrew! I love that he told you to buy yourself roses....and I DO believe that he nudged you to buy both sets of earrings, the light and the red.

    ReplyDelete
  18. How intriguing! Those earrings were the symbol of something for him perhaps...~ Like the mystery here and the hint inspiring enough for the new story....~ Dearest memory xx

    ReplyDelete

Comments are moderated and will be visible after being approved by the blog owner. If you can only comment anonymously, please include your name in the comment, just so I know who's talking to me.