Monday, February 4, 2019

Monday's Poetry: "Winter Night"

by Pa Rock
Poetry Appreciator

The Ground Hog had his special day this past Saturday, and  there was zero chance that he saw his shadow anywhere in the central United States - which means that spring is just around the corner.   A week ago we had snow, and more is expected later this week, but today is warm and inviting.  Spring is trying, spring is coming!

Sleds and hot chocolate will soon make way for daffodils and kites!

For today I decided to give one last nod to winter.   In his novel Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak depicted both the beauty and the deadliness that come with the snows of winter, particularly the brutal Russian winters.  Pasternak, a gifted poet as well as a novelist, expressed the grim beauty of winter in his homeland in the following poem.  "Winter Night" depicts winter slowly coming inside, but not to worry - tomorrow the young doctor and the beautiful Laura will be cavorting around the estate in a horse-drawn sleigh.  Winter has more than one face!

Here is another February in a cold land far away, a February put to paper by Boris Pasternak.


Winter Night
by Boris Pasternak


It snowed and snowed, the whole world over,
Snow swept the world from end to end.
A candle burned on the table;
A candle burned.

As during summer midges swarm
to beat their wings against a flame
Out in the yard the snowflakes swarmed
To beat against the window pane.

The blizzard sculpted on the glass
Designs of arrows and whorls.
A candle burned on the table;
A candle burned.

Distorted shadows fell
Upon the lighted ceiling:
Shadows of crossed arms, of crossed legs - 
Of crossed destiny.

Two tiny shoes fell to the floor
And thudded.
A candle on a nightstand shed was tears
Upon a dress.

All things vanished within
The snowy murk-white, hoary.
A candle burned on the table;
A candle burned

A corner draft fluttered the flame
And the white fever of temptation
Unswept it angel wings that cast
A cruciform shadow.

It showed hard throughout the month
Of February, and almost constantly
A candle burned on the table;
A candle burned.

No comments: