Your post made me think of how sometimes, even for someone like me, there are times when being is enough, all by itself. Camping in the snow, I’ve never done. But I can feel it right now. The cold. The white. And that indescribable hush.
Such a stirring, gorgeous poem of the beauty of nature, thank you for sharing this today David.
And “The Snowy Mountains” and “Sandy Desert” are hilarious. Australians sound like a very literal people 😂 It makes me think of our black cat when I was a kid named, you guessed it, “Blackie” and gray cat, a bit more creatively, “Smokey”.
Yep!! A literal people we are; still coming to grips with the warp & weft of being Anglo-Saxon convicts sent to detention for stealing a loaf of bread - and - a (then) abundant Indigenous nation with 70,000 years of continuous culture (oldest ongoing in history).
Snowy sandy soft scene curvaceous open mother nature thighs under the blanket of skin lies the stream within . Trapped and frozen soon to flow down mountains ravine.
What’s elevation of snowy mountains breasts of winter delight that must reflect stars in the night.
Thank you for sharing this most wonderful poem, made all the better from a Brit’s point of view by the explanation beforehand.
I’m glad to read that you have a bit of skiing in your past, just one more thing we have in common.
I’ve probably mentioned it before but be careful what you wish for when it comes to interesting place names. Torpenhow Hill in Cumbria is a mixture of ancient languages, Tor is Celtic (meaning hill), Pen is Norse (meaning hill) and How is Old English (meaning hill). So we have a Hill-hill-hill Hill which beats a Great Sandy Desert any day.
All the best to you,
Uk Dave
P.S. Having researched Torpenhow Hill in order to get the facts straight I discovered it’s an overly simplified meme. Firstly, there is no Torpenhow Hill, the village of Torpenhow is on a hill but it’s not called Torpenhow Hill. Secondly, if you understand ancient languages you are more likely to translate Torpenhow as ‘Ridge of the hill with a rocky peak’, still not very romantic but a lot less stupid than the alternative. Still, why let that get in the way of a good story? D
Great piece, Dave! I can relate to the mountain experience and this really gave me reminder of just how much I miss being in the immediate proximity of snowy peaks! Gorgeous poem!
I did not know that snow there is not a regular occurrence, even so, it just might be a bonus; when one has no regular interaction with any of earth's expressions, we seem to appreciate them so, so much more!
Most of Australia is far too warm for snow, even in mid Winter. We have no permanent snow, even on the highest peaks.
The "Snowy Mountains" - and an adjoining range just to the South - are the only place where snow - even in Winter - is reliable enough for ski resorts, and snow cover on the higher lasts there for 4 - 5 months if they have a good snow season.
We live about 12 hours driving time North of there. Way down South, in Tasmania, they also get a reasonable amount of snow in Winter on the highest peaks.
And yes - because I see snow so seldom, I adore it when I do....
This is an old one, from just before I stopped publishing my work. I was invited to the Canberra Poetry Festival (Canberra - our national capital city), and it was published either online or in print in association with that event, in late 2001 or 2002.
Since rejoining the world of "public" poetry I've been selectively re-publishing some of my old work - like this one - and writing much much more.
It's a strange experience, like looking at an old photograph of myself....
I know why you probably don’t have relevant photos - diplomacy has always been your forte - I’m sorry things have been ‘lost in the mists of time’ darling. Your words are enough, always be reassured of that x.
Thank you Deb. It is a wonderful place - in Summer or Winter. I think the mark of that is how vividly I remember it. We visit a wild place and return home, thinking we have left it behind, but wild places never truly leave us...
Your post made me think of how sometimes, even for someone like me, there are times when being is enough, all by itself. Camping in the snow, I’ve never done. But I can feel it right now. The cold. The white. And that indescribable hush.
Ah my friend, it is a beautiful thing....
IF you have a good sleeping bag!
:)
Such a stirring, gorgeous poem of the beauty of nature, thank you for sharing this today David.
And “The Snowy Mountains” and “Sandy Desert” are hilarious. Australians sound like a very literal people 😂 It makes me think of our black cat when I was a kid named, you guessed it, “Blackie” and gray cat, a bit more creatively, “Smokey”.
Hi my friend. Oh yes!
And I forgot to mention “Sandy Beach” - just an hour’s drive South of our home…..
(Which would make sense if all the other beaches were rocky, but every beach for hours in every direction is - yep - yellow sand…)
🙈
😂
Yep!! A literal people we are; still coming to grips with the warp & weft of being Anglo-Saxon convicts sent to detention for stealing a loaf of bread - and - a (then) abundant Indigenous nation with 70,000 years of continuous culture (oldest ongoing in history).
Snowy sandy soft scene curvaceous open mother nature thighs under the blanket of skin lies the stream within . Trapped and frozen soon to flow down mountains ravine.
What’s elevation of snowy mountains breasts of winter delight that must reflect stars in the night.
Ahh!!! You make me feel as though I am back there...
Best Wishes - Dave :)
Hey Dave
Thank you for sharing this most wonderful poem, made all the better from a Brit’s point of view by the explanation beforehand.
I’m glad to read that you have a bit of skiing in your past, just one more thing we have in common.
I’ve probably mentioned it before but be careful what you wish for when it comes to interesting place names. Torpenhow Hill in Cumbria is a mixture of ancient languages, Tor is Celtic (meaning hill), Pen is Norse (meaning hill) and How is Old English (meaning hill). So we have a Hill-hill-hill Hill which beats a Great Sandy Desert any day.
All the best to you,
Uk Dave
P.S. Having researched Torpenhow Hill in order to get the facts straight I discovered it’s an overly simplified meme. Firstly, there is no Torpenhow Hill, the village of Torpenhow is on a hill but it’s not called Torpenhow Hill. Secondly, if you understand ancient languages you are more likely to translate Torpenhow as ‘Ridge of the hill with a rocky peak’, still not very romantic but a lot less stupid than the alternative. Still, why let that get in the way of a good story? D
Just came to your beautiful post about the snowy mountains... Love these lines especially
"Up there, a knife sharp edge of snow lies
curled about a boulder,
almost carelessly,
like an arm thrown around
the shoulder of the mountain." - what a perfect image that conjures!
Thank you my friend...
A place of great serenity, in Summer or Winter....
Best Wishes - Dave :)
This pulls at a deep yearning, Dave, to see other horizons. I love how things are named too! Thank you. - richard
You are welcome my friend. So much to see....... so little time....
Best Wishes - Dave
Great piece, Dave! I can relate to the mountain experience and this really gave me reminder of just how much I miss being in the immediate proximity of snowy peaks! Gorgeous poem!
I did not know that snow there is not a regular occurrence, even so, it just might be a bonus; when one has no regular interaction with any of earth's expressions, we seem to appreciate them so, so much more!
Blessings,
~Wendy💜
Ah, yes....
Most of Australia is far too warm for snow, even in mid Winter. We have no permanent snow, even on the highest peaks.
The "Snowy Mountains" - and an adjoining range just to the South - are the only place where snow - even in Winter - is reliable enough for ski resorts, and snow cover on the higher lasts there for 4 - 5 months if they have a good snow season.
We live about 12 hours driving time North of there. Way down South, in Tasmania, they also get a reasonable amount of snow in Winter on the highest peaks.
And yes - because I see snow so seldom, I adore it when I do....
Best Wishes - Dave :)
Beautiful, David! Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you dear Alex. I love snow - probably because I see it so seldom..... :)
Best Wishes - Dave :)
A beautiful poem, Dave. You have such a gift. :)
Thank you dear Nazish
This is an old one, from just before I stopped publishing my work. I was invited to the Canberra Poetry Festival (Canberra - our national capital city), and it was published either online or in print in association with that event, in late 2001 or 2002.
Since rejoining the world of "public" poetry I've been selectively re-publishing some of my old work - like this one - and writing much much more.
It's a strange experience, like looking at an old photograph of myself....
Best Wishes - Dave
Poets old and new, then and now. I loved this so.
Thank you, friend Stephanie!
Best Wishes - Dave :)
I know why you probably don’t have relevant photos - diplomacy has always been your forte - I’m sorry things have been ‘lost in the mists of time’ darling. Your words are enough, always be reassured of that x.
Lovely! Well done you - traversing the wild landscape and sleeping amongst it all.
Thank you Deb. It is a wonderful place - in Summer or Winter. I think the mark of that is how vividly I remember it. We visit a wild place and return home, thinking we have left it behind, but wild places never truly leave us...
Best Wishes - Dave :)