Snow Cover

Snow covered deer
snow covered trees
snow covered mountains
snow covered streams
snow covered snow shoes
snow covered me;
Stuck in snow
trying to get back
to a snow covered house
on a snow covered path

A February Day

Quiet, alone (but not lonely)
i sit and watch out the window
as a billion, zillion
tiny ice flakes
fall gently  from the sky
drifting downward,
downward
steady and slow
to change the landscape
and color of earth
from drab winter brown
to white winter snow

The King's Speech and Hiawatha

The popular and acclaimed movie, The King's Speech has been nominated for 12 Academy Awards, and is surely a favorite among movie goers  to win the top prize. But   more than being  just a good drama with  fine acting,   the story speaks to us on so many levels about  honor, duty, loyalty, royalty, the common man, perseverance, family and friendship.

We come to admire both men, King George VI and Lionel Logue;  Recognizing  they are  decent and good.

While I was  already  familiar with King George VI and his place in history , I knew nothing of Lionel Logue.  Upon further reading   I was fascinated to learn Logue  became interested in elocution only after reading Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's renowned epic, The Song of  Hiawatha . I couldn't help but feel a little proud knowing the great American poet was held in high esteem by the Australian Logue.   According to his biographer, Logue was entranced by the words,   and  rhythm of Hiawatha  - they seemed to leap out of the page at him.

When I discovered    The Song of   Hiawatha   inspired Logue  in such a big way, it  was like standing on a springboard,  and I jumped  from one book to another.   I began reading the verses of  Hiawatha aloud, and found it pleasant and enjoyable, that I liked and understood the story better.   And like Logue, I  became entranced with the words, and the rhythm of Hiawatha:

Of all beasts he learned the language,
Learned their names and all their secrets,
How the beavers built their lodges,
Where the squirrels hid their acorns,
How the reindeer ran so swiftly,
Why the rabbit was so timid,
Talked with them whene'er he met them,
Called them ," Hiawatha's Brothers."


In a funny way, one  might say it was  The King's Speech,  George VI, and Lionel Logue that  lead  me to Henry Wadsworth  Longfellow and The Song of Hiawatha.  In another way,  one could also say,  it was  Longfellow who lead Logue to George VI and the King's speech .

Valentine's Day

 Red roses
and chocolate hearts
whispered words,
tender and sweet
i speak to you, alone
my dear one
my darling one
like a lingering melody
from a favorite song,
'Be mine'
'Forget-me-not'
my forever  Valentine

WIND

Away out here
they got a name
for rain, and wind and fire
The rain is Tess, the fire, Joe 
and they call the wind Mariah

(Alan Jay Lerner from  Paint Your Wagon 1959)


All through the night, into early morn
sleep eluded me
as a  whipping,  swishing sound -
the howling of the wind
swirled and  twirled  through  trees;
thrashing, bashing, crashing
against  window panes and hardieplank
 like the constant roar
of stormy waves pounding
a  sandy shore

Me and My Shadow

I'm sure glad that famous little groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow today, indicating an early spring,  because I did see mine, and for awhile was concerned it might mean a longer winter for us folks here in north Idaho. Not that seeing my shadow, or not seeing my shadow has ever been any kind of bell weather, that's for the groundhog to forecast every February 2, so why I would be concerned I don't know.  Perhaps it was just  the day after day of January cold and skies shaded gray that cast a gloomy mood and makes me long for the light of the sun, a more temperate temperature, and the color blue