Frigid Starry Musings
Ah, wouldn't you know? Winter's here with bitter chill, and yet the moonlit night was too enticing. The cold forbids any guests and deters lingering, yet while I had to be out, I was loving the heavenly show.
(sonnet # CCCCXXIX)
Blythe starry night aglow, all moonlit, bright!
So clear, in frigid air the stars appear
Distinct, more than in summer's balmy cheer,
Inviting as when crickets sang the night
Away in treble serenades, the sight's
As breath-taking as ever; though this sphere
In Winter's biting stillness frozen's near
Forbidding any ling'ring, it excites.
Orion in the southeast corner stands
Displayed as diamonds in the depths of space,
So brilliant 'gainst the inky-black; belt band's
Three stars aligned, as e'er the mark to trace
That dear intriguing sign by God's commands:
Reminder of His hand and plans, His grace.
02Jan12
D61c
oh, this is simply Heavenly, Jenny
Simply wonderful heavenly show you penned here Jenny.
A beautiful winter portrait from the Sonnet Queen. Loved the imagery. I agree with Ralphs comment.
This sonnet eulogises Winter in style..beautiful imagery here Jenny
Your sonnet reminds us that the greatest show is the celestial one right above us, free of charge, a gift from the creator. Why would it delight us so much if this were not a fact?
How can one feel any disenchantment with winter when you've penned such a wonderful tribute to her. I'm sure I'll find something to complain about later on, but this is just beautiful. And Wednesday morning there'll be a nice little meteor shower. Just a bit more to smile about. Wonderful penning indeed.
Initially, I was reading this and enjoying the expert iambic flow; scarcely a beat askew, lyrical and fluid. And then I came to the sestet, saw Orion, sat up straight, and saw this breath-taking couplet: Orion in the southeast corner stands / Displayed as diamonds in the depths of space. These words made me stop reading in my tracks so I could read them again, and a third time. I am not sure if is my affection for that constellation at work here or not, but even without my bias, there is a host within these words. You expand the view from a simple night sky into "the depths of space," a cosmic scale across which Orion is "displayed as diamonds," a beautifully alliterative phrase. This is inspiring (not least of all as a bar taunting me to attempt Orion in verse anew.) There's an odd twist at the end whose meaning I can't glean - pagan Orion, planted in the Heavens by pagan gods as recompense for his pains, exists as a sign of God's grace. That's an intriguing juxtaposition. And three sonnets in a day is simply unfair, madam. :)