Poetry

London Snow by Robert Bridges

On February 16, 2021 by
When men were all asleep the snow came flying,
In large white flakes falling on the city brown,
Stealthily and perpetually settling and loosely lying,
      Hushing the latest traffic of the drowsy town;
Deadening, muffling, stifling its murmurs failing;
Lazily and incessantly floating down and down:
      Silently sifting and veiling road, roof and railing;
Hiding difference, making unevenness even,
Into angles and crevices softly drifting and sailing.
      All night it fell, and when full inches seven
It lay in the depth of its uncompacted lightness,
The clouds blew off from a high and frosty heaven;
      And all woke earlier for the unaccustomed brightness
Of the winter dawning, the strange unheavenly glare:
The eye marvelled—marvelled at the dazzling whiteness;
      The ear hearkened to the stillness of the solemn air;
No sound of wheel rumbling nor of foot falling,
And the busy morning cries came thin and spare.
      Then boys I heard, as they went to school, calling,
They gathered up the crystal manna to freeze
Their tongues with tasting, their hands with snowballing;
      Or rioted in a drift, plunging up to the knees;
Or peering up from under the white-mossed wonder,
‘O look at the trees!’ they cried, ‘O look at the trees!’
      With lessened load a few carts creak and blunder,
Following along the white deserted way,
A country company long dispersed asunder:
      When now already the sun, in pale display
Standing by Paul’s high dome, spread forth below
His sparkling beams, and awoke the stir of the day.
      For now doors open, and war is waged with the snow;
And trains of sombre men, past tale of number,
Tread long brown paths, as toward their toil they go:
      But even for them awhile no cares encumber
Their minds diverted; the daily word is unspoken,
The daily thoughts of labour and sorrow slumber
At the sight of the beauty that greets them, for the charm they have broken.
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Books . Covid Times . Insomnia

What to Read when you can’t Sleep

On February 15, 2021 by

 

A well meaning but spectacularly uncool Auntie of mine once bought me The Friendship Book of Francis Gay, for Christmas when I was a teenager. (And by the way, this is the only way anyone ever referred to this book: the title, then the author, all at once – but always together). This little book promised an “inspiring thought” for each day of the year and provided iconic yet unlikely photos such as a benevolent postman peddling down a laneway or a jocular milkman enjoying a quiet joke outside a thatched cottage.

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Frasier and Niles . Love . The General

Happy Valentine’s Day

On February 13, 2021 by

 

 

I remember telling both of my sons that while large breasts were a very nice attribute in a girlfriend, the more pressing question should be, as the relationship began to deepen: “Would this person make you soup when you are sick?”

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Top Ten Lists

Top Ten List of Small Things Pt. 2

On January 31, 2021 by

4. Feeding the Birds: Many years ago, I was a well-intentioned novice, hanging out a puck of seedy suet which no bird was ever able to access due to its squirrel value. I also purchased jumbo bags of suspiciously cheap seed which produced the same experience. I now finally have a practice that works. We only buy Safflower and Niger seed which the squirrels have almost zero interest in and the feeders are always well attended. Mr.& Mrs. Cardinal arrive together, politely taking turns and transform the front window into a Victorian Christmas card. There are finches too and many others and I am always touched by their gentle, searching faces. I do feed the squirrels, separately, in the backyard and cannot dislike them as many people do; in fact, we now have three “regulars” that we have named: ‘Sid Vicious’ (arrogant-cool, often knocking at the window, smiling crookedly); ‘Elvis,’ black fur and ears slicked straight back and ‘The Friar,’ the largest of all and could easily pass for a groundhog as he teeters on the ledge, where I’ve left a few peanuts in the shell and apple cores. Yes, I’m aware how geriatric this all sounds but it adds another much needed strata of connection in these dark Covid days.

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Covid Times . Introspection . Top Ten Lists

Top Ten List of Small Things

On January 30, 2021 by

 

This is not intended to be yet another gust of Pollyanna-overload – I only seek to catalogue a few of the things that have helped even a little during these endless days of sad news. I think it was Stephen Colbert,  (himself one of these helpful things) who commented recently that he was really looking forward to not hearing the words “another grim milestone” every.single.day. I am also acutely aware how lucky we are to be able to plan and discuss coping strategies – because after all, the luxury of time, companionship and good food are all such individual gifts.

And I get that.

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