By Lisa Lickel
February is the thinnest month, ebbs
Love and moon-tide, waves of floods of
Observances for presidents no longer in
Office, of silent human trains,
Whispering souls still long
For dignity across the line.
Candied hearts and cherry pie.
Reach upward, sleepy bulb,
Breach loam for ice blue light.
Six weeks more of steamy glasses and lacy breath.
Winter wanes at month's end, waxing March feeds streams
Breaking ice cover, swirling snails like pebbles along bottoms.
The squill shoot blue spikes through the snow.
Popple buds swell, pregnant, red on whispy branches,
While the oak will not give up its dead.
Love and moon-tide, waves of floods of
Observances for presidents no longer in
Office, of silent human trains,
Whispering souls still long
For dignity across the line.
Candied hearts and cherry pie.
Reach upward, sleepy bulb,
Breach loam for ice blue light.
Six weeks more of steamy glasses and lacy breath.
Winter wanes at month's end, waxing March feeds streams
Breaking ice cover, swirling snails like pebbles along bottoms.
The squill shoot blue spikes through the snow.
Popple buds swell, pregnant, red on whispy branches,
While the oak will not give up its dead.
A special surprise comes from Lisa this month--she is offering a
copy of The Gold Standard, a print version of my cozy mystery,
to the first person who can correctly identify all the allusions in the poem. If you think you have the answer, leave a comment below, along and information on how we can reach you. Have fun!
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| Please note, this is NOT the give-away book, but Lisa's latest, due out in April. |
This is beautiful Lisa and I'm so excited for you! What a talent you have. Simply fabulous.
ReplyDeleteAw, that's sweet of you, Karen. Thanks
ReplyDeleteImpressive and truly beautiful! I think trying to identify all of the allusions might hurt my brain. I will opt, instead, for simply enjoying the lovliness and imagery of the prose.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun! Here's what I came up with. Shortest month, Valentines Day, underground railroad (is it recognized this month?) snow drops and daffodils emerge, 6 more weeks of winter, thawing ice, something to do with glaciers??, live oaks still holding last year's leaves. Not sure about the presidents. Thought that was March. Squill and popple are some kind of flower/blooming tree that I'm unfamiliar with.
ReplyDeleteThat is pretty, Lisa. I love the imagery but not sure I can put all the allusions in there. . .: Feb - shortest month, holidays: Groundhog,Valentine's and Groundhog, spring flower bulbs unseen preparing for earliest spring bloom. A precursor to March thaws. Feb is also the month of birthdays for TWO of my three children! And one was born on Valentine's day! (he's a little cupid too - but he's going to be 10!) Loved the poem - thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteWoot! Getting there - two more!
ReplyDeleteLisa
Feb-shortest(thinnest)month, ebbs Love + Candied hearts=Valentines day, Moon tide + six weeks of steamy glasses= Groundhog day, President/Abe Lincoln + Washington's ( cherry pie) birthdays + President's Day=observances for presidents of the past, end of winter=when Feb is over, waxing March = spring melting, breaking ice cover + frost leaving ground, squill shoot blue spikes + first flowers, popple buds swell = trees budding their leaves,
ReplyDeleteThat's all I got, but am sure I missed some.
purensimplenatural at gmail dot com
Oh, man, Pamela! You only missed two!!!
ReplyDeleteReach upward, sleepy bulb, breach loam for ice blue light=first flowers pushing through the snow toward still-cold skies?
ReplyDeleteLacy breath, can still see breath in the cold air?
I see two more I could guess at and two more I've not got a clue but could be allusions.
Thanks for letting me know I was close, so can I send this and add it to my other list? Should I send my other two guesses?
purensimplenatural at gmail dot com
Sure - guesses are open through Sunday and I'll let everyone know the answers and the winner on Monday.
ReplyDeletecongrats LISA AND HI KAREN!
ReplyDeletelinda_bass@sbcglobal.net
Splendid poem, Lisa. Lovely writing. I enjoyed the exercise of identifying allusions, but was happy to be able to look above at other comments and cheat a bit.
ReplyDeleteI am happy to already have the print version of A Gold Standard, plus gave copies to my sister and my mom. All three of us liked it! Best wishes to the winner--can't wait to see the answers on Monday.
SWIRLING SNAILS LIKE PEBBLES ALONG BOTTOMS COULD BE HATCHING NEW FISH FOR SPRINGS?
ReplyDeleteOAK (casket?)WILL NOT GIVE UP ITS DEAD=THOSE IN THEIR GRAVES STAY THERE?
purensimplenatural at gmail dot com
You're thinking too hard, Pamela :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Lori, my friend...thanks, madam poetess. When am I going to host you on BarnDoor.org?
I looked at the calendar today and found out in February "Black History Month" is celebrated. Part of this history is the 'underground railroad', which could be the SILENT HUMAN TRAINS. Couldn't these escaping black people be WHISPERING SOULS?
ReplyDeleteThose are my best guesses. Still haven't figured out what the other things could be but I guess this is where I have to say to the rest, "I don't know".
purensimplenatural at gmail dot com
Unless... I didn't finish about the WHISPERING SOULS are the slaves that longed for dignity across the line, or when they reached the states where they were no longer slave, but free.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the reason the oak will not give up its dead is because their buds pop out later than when the popple buds swell and leaf out?
NOW I think I'm done...
purensimplenatural at gmail dot com
Loving all these comments from such smart people. Glad to know what a high class of readers you pull in Lisa!
ReplyDeletePam, you went the distance and got them! Check our facebook page for the entire list. https://www.facebook.com/groups/qccwc/
ReplyDeleteLisa
Gail - you're great. and Super.