Today, in our “A Reason to Smile” feature, we are inspired by the season and turn to the worlds of poetry and painting. The latter you can see in the image above of a magpie amidst the snow by French impressionist Claude Monet. The poem, by Emily Dickinson, is below.
While we await the official start of winter, the weather that accompanies the season is already upon some of the country. The pictures out of Buffalo of more than six feet of snow were staggering. There will be more storms to greet many of us in the days, weeks, and months to follow.
Snow can be very dangerous — both in the way it accumulates and in the conditions it creates through icy roads, falling trees, and severed power lines. But it is also incredibly beautiful. When a fresh blanket of snow drapes over the landscape, it turns familiar features into new vistas, unique and ultimately fleeting.
So before too many of us are cursing the need to shovel out cars, clear the sidewalk, or trudge through the slush in our winter boots, we felt we would share a painting by Monet and a poem from Dickinson celebrating the wonderful ability of snow to allow us to see the familiar as a boundless new reality.
A notable feature of this poem is that its topic — “snow” — is never stated. It is only defined as “it.” But there is no mistaking what Dickinson is summoning forth with her evocative words.
It sifts from Leaden Sieves
It sifts from Leaden Sieves -
It powders all the Wood.
It fills with Alabaster Wool
The Wrinkles of the Road -
It makes an even Face
Of Mountain, and of Plain -
Unbroken Forehead from the East
Unto the East again -
It reaches to the Fence -
It wraps it Rail by Rail
Till it is lost in Fleeces -
It deals Celestial Vail
To Stump, and Stack - and Stem -
A Summer’s empty Room -
Acres of Joints, where Harvests were,
Recordless, but for them -
It Ruffles Wrists of Posts
As Ankles of a Queen -
Then stills its Artisans - like Ghosts -
Denying they have been -
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Poetry of the Season
This is such a stunning piece! Love it!
Thank you, Dan and Elliot, for beauty and inspiration.