Monday, January 3, 2011

High Lonesome

"High Lonesome"
watercolor by Terry Clark


Winter comes effortlessly
on the High Lonesome Ranch,
where the snow piles up -
white on white,
and the elk scream,
in the frozen pine forests,
like banshees.


I imagine what it would be like
to stay there in the cabin -
enduring the brief ghosts
of miners, cowboys, and outlaws
humming in the corners.


I’d see the stars arranging
themselves around the
windows at night,
and resting on the trellises,
as if they were the white
and lavender Columbines
of summer.


And in the utter stillness,
I’d hold the moon close
to my breast and listen,
over and over again,
to the rising silence
of my thoughts.

6 comments:

trooping with crows said...

Mom, your entire blog could be writing poems inspired by art! You are so sucessful at it, you really draw the reader into the artwork (no pun intended!) so that we become part of not only the poem but of the art as well. Second stanza is my favorite...also love the idea of the stars arranging themselves around the windows. That is such an inspired line! You are absolutely an artist of words Mom. This poem is an obvious example of that. Love the overall chilly and haunting feeling. this was a great poem/painting for January.

Terry, I have seen afew of your paintings and want to tell you that your heart and soul comes through in your work. I can see the love that you have for watercolor and your need to capture the world with it! A beautiful painting indeed.

@okieprof said...

Your daughter is right Kay...your words bring color to life. I'm honored. You make me want to paint. And thank you to your daughter for the kind words. You are both artists.

Here's to a creative rich New Year.

Karen said...

This is filled with beautiful imagery! You seem to have the rare ability to inhabit a place and move us into and beyond it into imagining.

I always look forward to your postings because I know I'll read quality.

I love this stanza. It is brilliant:

I’d see the stars arranging
themselves around the
windows at night,
and resting on the trellises,
as if they were the white
and lavender Columbines
of summer.

Beautiful work.

Anonymous said...

The past feels so much closer where the etching of time doesn't scratch so deeply.

Bob said...

Sorry for being away from your blog for so long, Kaye, but it was a pleasure to catch up on your work tonight and I love the new look to the blog... beautiful poems, tho I think this is my favorite tonight... take care :)

joaquin carvel said...

troop said it best. so i'll just say that the peace and presence in this is amazing. and the 3rd stanza - stars as columbines - is just one i want to breathe in and hold on to.