Going by Kurt Vonnegut's definitions of the seasons, January and February are Winter, and March and April are Unlocking, neither Winter nor Spring bit something in between. I like this idea; it means that if March is cold and wet and frosty and drear I won't be feeling cheated out of a proper Spring.
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Like several other blog friends, I'm 'following' a tree through the year. 'Following' is an odd way to describe it, after all, as far as I know my oak tree doesn't march around like an Ent (Lord of the Rings) or suddenly set of to frighten the wits ou of Macbeth. At least I've never seen it moving... maybe I should see if I can creep up on it unawares...
Here is the glorious beauty, spread out in an arc, reaching for the heavens. That strange light coloured pole apparently propping up the right hand side is a determined, but probably doomed horse chestnut tree that must have started from a conker possibly as many as forty years ago. I certainly first noticed it back in the 1990s.
Here are some of the top-most twigs, each with a little knobbly bud, promises of leaves to come;
I think it becomes harder to find music as I near the end of the poem.
'Church-bells beyond the stars heard, the soul's blood,'
Those church bells, are they the echoes of prayers from the beginning of creation, as they escape the confines of the Earth's gravity, rise above the Earth's atmosphere and travel through space and time. Scientists used to say space was a vacuum, and I'm not sure that this is still the current thinking. Maybe space is full of the widely dispersed sounds and scents of incense, prayers, hymns and songs, reaching out into the universe...
The soul's blood; the life blood of the soul; not some red liquid flowing through our physical bodies but a spiritual essence flowing through our hearts and minds.
Is this 'soul's blood' just... prayer?
This is a short, thoughtful piano piece called 'Stars' by Peter Sculthorpe. I didn't want to choose church bells ringing peels, or anything so... obvious, direct... I wanted something with resonance, space, consideration, leaving room for the imagination. I love it; I'm sure I've got the music somewhere, or maybe I'll have to buy it.
You share such beautiful things. It reminded me of 'Church of England Thoughts' by John Betjamen
ReplyDeleteA multiplicity of bells,
A changing cadence, rich and deep
Swung from those pinnacles on high
To fill the trees and flood the sky
And rock the sailing clouds to sleep.
I shall purse that poem, I don't know it at all. Thank you.
DeleteI've sent off for 'Church Poems' by JB. Arriving next week!
DeleteMade me laugh out loud of imagining you following the tree as its walking around. Nice tree though. I am doing one or a couple too.
ReplyDeleteI like that March is Unlocking. It sounds appropriate here. It was lovely today about 11C here, but tomorrow the high will be -4C. I'm not sure what that says about the weather to come. Is it March that we say comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb?
Wherever it is you live it is TOO COLD for me!
DeleteI'm hoping March adopts its lamb persona sooner rather than later,
I love the pink haze of the oak trees at this time of year. We had such a hard frost again last night in my corner of West Sussex, and the blue sky and sunshine is deceptive. I would love to go outside but am still nursing a horrid cold so must be content with looking through the window where I’ve just been watching a young deer browsing - fortunately on the other side of our deer fence. Moles are also active in the garden so I’m afraid I’ve had to call in the friendly mole trapper. Am taking much comfort from your music and drawing and positivity Kirsten. Sarah in Sussex
ReplyDeleteSo sorry that you have a bad cold. They can be very 'lowering', to use an old-fashioned expression. It does look lovely outside but, by gum that's a lazy wind that cuts right through to the bone!
DeleteLovely to have deer to watch.
It's good to see green leaves unfurling, though the catkins have been dancing for some while now.
ReplyDeleteI am determined to get right up close to a hazel tree because I've read there are tiny red flowers that are hidden beneath the catkins; I had hopes of the one at the end of our road, but it's gone! The house owners cut it down when I wasn't looking!
DeleteYour tree is looking very lovely, and how do you know it doesnt wander around at night??
ReplyDeleteIt covers its tracks very well...
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