Wednesday 21 July 2010

Viennese Escapes


I know some lonely houses off the road
A robber 'd like the look of, --
Wooden barred,
And windows hanging low,
Inviting to
A portico,
Where two could creep:
One hand the tools,
The other peep
To make sure all's asleep.
Old-fashioned eyes,
Not easy to surprise!

How orderly the kitchen 'd look by night,
With just a clock, --
But they could gag the tick,
And mice won't bark;
And so the walls don't tell,
None will.

A pair of spectacles ajar just stir --
An almanac's aware.
Was it the mat winked,
Or a nervous star?
The moon slides down the stair
To see who's there.

There's plunder, -- where?
Tankard, or spoon,
Earring, or stone,
A watch, some ancient brooch
To match the grandmamma,
Staid sleeping there.

Day rattles, too,
Stealth's slow;
The sun has got as far
As the third sycamore.
Screams chanticleer,
"Who's there?"
And echoes, trains away,
Sneer -- "Where?"
While the old couple, just astir,
Fancy the sunrise left the door ajar!

The Lonely House
by Emily Dickinson

*

I found the lonely house
early one summer morning
driving over the hills between
two lakes, Attersee and Traunsee
Upper Austria

Images
© 2010 by Merisi



16 comments:

  1. Well I, for one, am glad you found the lonely house, Merisi. A perfect combination of words and images.

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  2. Wonderful marriage of poem and pictures - but dig those old bicycle flower holders!!

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  3. How exquisitely restful the photos of this old homestead are...I think everyone who sees them must wish she were there!

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  4. Summer on your pictures is so relaxing

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  5. So picturesque and charming a place~

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  6. A perfect poem to accompany the photos. I too name some of the houses I walk past during my days.

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  7. What a delilghtful house - perfect for an escape. I heart it :)

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  8. Beautiful! I love that area around the lakes. Your choice of words always fascinates me.

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  9. I didn't recognize the Emily D. poem -- it fit so well with your pictures that I thought it was your own!

    And lovely pictures they are!

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  10. You have a way of capturing that which cannot be put in words.
    The pictures themselves must be seen, and the head, nodded.

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  11. I adore that house! There's one that looks quite like it up the road from me at a Ukrainian heritage historical village, only that one has a thatched roof. It's my favorite building in the whole village.

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  12. Thank you, thank you all for your kind and generous comments! They mean the world to me, they really do.

    I wanted to put this Emily Dickinson poem to pictures for a long time. I photographed the one or other house, hoping to be able add some interiors too one day, but yesterday I simply decided that enough of waiting, I'll just do it. It puts a smile on my face to see that you enjoyed it as much as I do! Thank you!
    Merisi

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  13. Just got around to reading this....

    What a lovely poem to go with your beautiful images! Emily Dickinson is one of my favorites.

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  14. Lovely photos ... so enchanting! I wan tot go there!

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