Tuesday 19 February 2013

A Winter Afternoon slips into early Dusk
Gloriette at Schönbrunn

Vienna in Winter
Already the light grows less,
and it is barely midafternoon

"Thy breath be rude" -
Shakespeare had it right,
about winter

The shadows of Gloriette hill
will soon reach for the palace too -
those brave souls who ventured into the cold
had a change of heart and are now rushing home

Seemingly out of nowhere,
there, a large herd of tourists

Stone-faced sentinels standing guard, watching
hills and woods, and a nearby pond,

counting a forlorn group of Grey Herons
that, foolishly, did not migrate south in time,
and must now suffer ice and snow and early dark

*

The days are short,
The sun a spark
Hung thin between
The dark and dark.
John Updike

Images and own Text © by Merisi

And here something entirely different, and uplifting:
My friend Corey went to see the new bells of Notre Dame.
Click and enjoy!

10 comments:

  1. I did see the Tongue in Cheek blog earlier - so moving. Yours are amazing and beautiful photos as always. I was wondering, do you happen to know why those particular sentinals are "stone-faced"? In other words, why no facial details? Thanks as always for making our days lovlier.
    Cheryl F.

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    Replies
    1. Cheryl,
      I will research this further, I am interested myself in finding out more about these faceless sculptures. Here's what Wikipedia offers:

      "The Gloriette's decorative sculptures were made by the famous Salzburg sculptor Johann Baptist von Hagenauer. The Gloriette was destroyed in the Second World War, but had already been restored by 1947, and was restored again in 1995.
      The Gloriette is dedicated as a Monument to Just War, that which leads to peace."

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    2. Thank you for taking the time to reply and thank you for the Wikipedia quote. Hope you have success in your research.

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    3. What a unique dedication for the Gloriette. Thank you for the Wikipedia quote on the sculptor. Hope you have success and fun with your research.
      Cheryl F.

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  2. I like this very much. Haunting images, haunting words. Winter made lovely.

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  3. I agree with Charles! This is wonderful, haunting and beautiful winters captures for the day, Merisi! Hope your week is going well! Stay warm!!

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  4. This is what inspires us to travel - to experience these images for ourselves... incredible

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  5. It is so beautiful, Meresi... but to experience it for myself,
    I would definitely need warmer temperatures. I'm back from India for six months, enjoying San Francisco. Just had a left total shoulder replacement surgery almost 4 weeks ago and I'm awaiting the birth of my first grandchild the end of April. I hope to return to India around June 1 for another six month stay.

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  6. Such a gorgeous piece of architecture -- and your photography brings out its best.

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  7. It looks so frosty there...crisp
    Here it's like late fall but I can feel the chill....brrrrr

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