Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee,
Whether summer clothe the general earth
With greeness, or the redbreast sit and sing
Betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch
Of mossy apple-tree, while the nigh thatch
Smokes in the sun-thaw; whether the eave-drops fall
Heard only in the trances of the blast,
Or if the secret ministry of frost
Shall hang them up in silent icicles,
Quietly shining to the quiet Moon.



Thursday, February 12, 2009

Signs of things to come


Windflowers by John William Waterhouse


THE MIRACLE

COME, sweetheart, listen, for I have a thing
Most wonderful to tell you -- news of spring.

Albeit winter still is in the air,
And the earth troubled, and the branches bare,

Yet down the fields to-day I saw her pass --
The spring -- her feet went shining through
the grass.

She touched the ragged hedgerows -- I have
seen
Her finger-prints, most delicately green;

And she has whispered to the crocus leaves,
And to the garrulous sparrows in the eaves.

Swiftly she passed and shyly, and her fair
Young face was hidden in her cloudy hair.

She would not stay, her season is not yet,
But she has reawakened, and has set

The sap of all the world astir, and rent
Once more the shadows of our discontent.

Triumphant news -- a miracle I sing --
The everlasting miracle of spring.



Narcissus by John Willam Waterhouse

11 comments:

Gracie said...

Nice poems and nice pictures. I'd like some spring here too!
Gracie at http://mylittleplace.blog.com

nita x said...

that is a gorgeous poem :o) spring is in the air, the new shoots and buds are starting to form and grow :o)

Anonymous said...

Thanks Rowan,
Waterhouse such an amazing artist. I like his work very much.

PAT said...

Beautiful words and images Rowan. Spring is just around the corner!

Leanne said...

Rowan, i love your new snowdrop header! its very lovely!

leanne x

Lynda (Granny K) said...

Beautiful header picture Rowan! I like the poem and pictures too!

Did you enjoy 'Victorian Farm'?

Rowan said...

Glad people like the header, I took it last Spring in my garden. Lynda, I did enjoy the Victorian Farm very much, waiting for the DVD to come out now:)

Sheila said...

Lovely poem. I do hope Spring visit here soon, she will be made very welcome !

Anonymous said...

How amazing, I've never seen Waterhouse prints on any other blog, although I'm sure they're out there. My husband absolutely adores his work, so for his birthday next week I have ordered him two prints which arrived yesterday. Stunningly beautiful when I unwrapped them, hope he likes them!

Jenny said...

Posts like this are why I love your blog so much. What a lovely poem, and one I've never read before. I have bulbs coming up and a lone scabiosa blooming, so it's perfectly timely too.

Julie said...

Love the Waterhouse paintings - with which I was familiar, and the poem, which I did not know.