Tuesday 1 December 2009

Rainy Morning


Beloved, let us once more praise the rain.
Let us discover some new alphabet,
For this, the often praised; and be ourselves,
The rain, the chickweed, and the burdock leaf,
The green-white privet flower, the spotted stone,
And all that welcomes the rain; the sparrow too,—
Who watches with a hard eye from seclusion,
Beneath the elm-tree bough, till rain is done.

There is an oriole who, upside down,
Hangs at his nest, and flicks an orange wing,—
Under a tree as dead and still as lead;
There is a single leaf, in all this heaven
Of leaves, which rain has loosened from its twig:
The stem breaks, and it falls, but it is caught
Upon a sister leaf, and thus she hangs;
There is an acorn cup, beside a mushroom
Which catches three drops from the stooping cloud.

The timid bee goes back to the hive; the fly
Under the broad leaf of the hollyhock
Perpends stupid with cold; the raindark snail
Surveys the wet world from a watery stone...
And still the syllables of water whisper:
The wheel of cloud whirs slowly: while we wait
In the dark room; and in your heart I find
One silver raindrop,—on a hawthorn leaf,—
Orion in a cobweb, and the World.
(Conrad Aiken)

Photographed this morning
in the 13th District
© by Merisi

18 comments:

  1. Another perfectly charming and delightful post! Thank you!

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  2. Awww, geschlossen, fur den Winter, ja? (sorry no umlaut on my keyboard:) )

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  3. Perfect poem to follow the picture.

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  4. So relaxing...and since we are looking for rain, what a lovely way to look at it!
    Sandi

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  5. What a magnificent poem -- and I can't give higher praise than to say that your pictures suited it exactly!

    Eden is closed? Is that the meaning of Geschlossen?

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  6. Conrad Aiken's poetry is brilliant...and so befitting your magnificent photography...what can I say? This post blends the work of a favorite poet and much loved photographer!! I have tasted a bit of paradise here today! Love you! Janine XO

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  7. Another wonderful post to begin my day with.

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  8. More great words and pictures that seem to be made for each other.

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  9. Beautiful prose, and photos!

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  10. Merisi, I will simply say thank you again for the beauty.

    xo

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  11. There is very little I like better than a good rain.

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  12. WOW so sparkly
    so bright the fleurs?
    Winter has not hit Vienna yet evidently...
    Lucky you

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  13. Absolutely MARVELLOUS; your Photos....makes me want to come and
    visit Vienna again....!
    have a beautiful evening
    ciao elvira

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  14. beautiful Merisi, a sublime post!

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  15. Wandring Star,
    you are welcome,
    thank you!


    jeannette stgermain,
    "geschlossen" means "closed", yes!
    I hope they are not closed for good.


    lakeviewer,
    thank you! :-)


    Sandi McBride,
    it was really quite a lovely rainy morning. ;-)

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  16. Vicki Lane,
    thank you very much! :-)
    Eden closed, yes!


    Sniffles and Smiles,
    thank you, you are very generous! :-)
    I love that poem and it is wonderful being able to share it.


    Martin H.,
    thank you! :-)


    jinksy,
    thank you! :-)


    Gaston Studio,
    thank you! :-)

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  17. Frances,
    you are welcome! :-)


    Charles Gramlich,
    as long as we can agree on what the definition of "good rain" is! ;-) I love a good rainy day when it comes after a row of sunny days and is swiftly followed by sunshine again.


    ParisBreakfasts,
    yes, this was the first of December in Vienna!
    Rather springlike weather lately. I hear people talking about Christmas .... strange. ;-)

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  18. elvira pajarola,
    thank you!
    Vienna's waiting for you! :-)


    Moannie,
    thank you, you are very kind! :-)

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