Welcome to Poetry Friday, this week hosted by Tracey Kiff Judson Here. Thank you Tracey! I hope, Tracey, that you are feeling well after your bout with the Green Goblin, Covid.
What is Poetry Friday? Find out here.
This week a lovely package arrived from my Swap Partner Carol Varsalona. She very cleverly wrapped it in photos about Syracuse, where she used to live, years ago. I was excited to receive it and I opened it gently to save the wrapping.
Inside were two poems, that I transcribed below , as well as a small candle and a Holiday Card.
One poem my Carol celebrated Christmas.
Oh Christmas, You're the most wonderful Time of the year. A season of wonder and hope Joyfully, we adorn thee, Even with holiday hustle and bustle, You bring warm cuddles. Surround us with your guiding light, So we might honor your holy night. CVarsalona 2023
Another poem celebrated Syracuse winter snow, which she had experienced first hand, showcasing the snow.
SYRACUSE WINTER by Carol Varsalona 2023 In a dreamy landscape of powdered sugar, Show dances before dropping and settling. Each design enhances Earth's beauty Until blizzard-like winds swoop across like eagle wings. Snow dances before dropping and settling. Syracuse snow knows no boundaries Until blizzard-like winds swoop across like eagle wings Touches each home and pathway. Syracuse snow knows no boundaries, Free-floating to the rhythm of the wind Touching each home and pathway, As choreographed by winter. Free-floating to the rhythm of the wind, Snow playfully creates her own designs As choreographed by Winter In a dreamy landscape of powered sugar.
But it’s been a while since Carol lived in Syracuse. Her poem highlights the beauty of snow. Snow is beautiful and this week we got a foot. But the climate has changed slowly. So I wrote this as a response, with a little sadness, because it is comforting for seasons to be relatively predictable.
CLIMATE CHANGE IN SYRACUSE JANUARY 2024 Snow used to come early color everything white now winter is mild. Not frigid. Not wild. Snow thick and fast, a cold sparking treat I admire less often from my window seat. Mild storms after New Years, is lately the trend, probably less in the future no sign change will end. © Janice Scully 2024
This week I listened to Liz Cheney’s book OATH OF HONOR. It’s really fascinating and worth the time.
Have a great week! Thank you, Tracey, for hosting.
Ooh. A beautiful but bittersweet exchange. :>(
The winter swaps are so much fun. And snow poems were the best to read as were are expecting snow this weekend.
Janice, thank you so much for being such a wonderful swap partner. I think we got to know each other a bit more through this exchange. What a delight. My sister is visiting down here. When the storm swept through the Northeast and hit Syracuse, we were watching David Muir and the chief meteorologist discussing the snow that landed. It looked awfully messy. Stay warm and thank you for your poem response to my swap. I do remember the piles and piles of pure white snow. I forgot the memory of our days making a small igloo under our weeping willow tree. Have a wonderful January.
It is not easy to read of the changes happening & now this new Arctic blast coming, weather is really on our minds, isn’t it? Carol’s gifts are lovely memories & now your own response, “admired less often”. It makes me wonder if we watched through the years how people wrote if it would be our own ‘weather report?’
Lovely poems from both you and Carol about snow. I agree that the changes are bittersweet. I sometimes long for those lazy days of snow snow snow.
I love how your poem alongside Carol’s call and respond to each other. I also read your last week’s post about New Orleans. I hope you enjoyed our special city. I hope you didn’t leave without eating beignets. I have two daughters who live there, so I visit often. Of course, now is King Cake season. Those are yummy, too.
I loved New Orleans! It is special. We had beignets and a lot of extraordinary food. It was all delicious and my nephew’s wedding was joyful, marching band and all. I’d like to see more of Louisiana.
Oh gosh, Janice. I recently read about mourning the loss of snow -we are living through a huge change in what winter will look like. Carols words are a comfort.
Thanks for sharing Carol’s Lovely reflections on snow, and your bittersweet responding poem–sure wish we could slow the change down a bit… I appreciate hearing about Liz Cheney’s book , I’ll have to check it out.
Love these poems. We’re entering well over 700 days with no measurable snow! We used to get snow every winter. 🙁
I love seeing these swaps. 🙂
But yes, I also wish that we could have more predictability in our seasons. Things are changing at an alarming rate.