Welcome to Poetry Friday, today hosted by Linda Baie at TeacherDance. Thank you, Linda, for hosting!
Happy Thanksgiving week, even as many, including myself, won’t see their children. But I am happy to help the effort to control the pandemic. We’re all well and I’m grateful for that. I hope all of you and you families are well, too.
As Nero fiddles, thousands of families are insecure in so many ways.
When I looked out the window today, I saw snow brightening my yard. It took my mind in another direction. I wrote a poem and took a picture of the snow, but it wasn’t cheerful or sparkly enough to share. So I found a more cheerful graphic, something Snowflake Bentley might admire, with wildly diverse snowflakes:
Here is my poem:
SNOWFLAKE I am a snowflake I fall from the sky, float down all day, meander and play. I whiten the grass trees and the street tickle warm faces with wet chilly feet. I am a snowflake, hear my shivery sigh? Winter begins when I fall from the sky. ©Janice Scully 2020
Wilson A. Bentley (1865-1931), aka Snowflake Bentley, was a farmer in Jericho, Vermont, who loved snow. He loved it so much that he became the first person to ever photograph snowflakes. He captured more than 5,000 during his lifetime, no two alike. Part of the challenge, I imagine, was to keep them in solid state while he photographed them. He lived and died where he grew up.
Below is a print I bought when I visited his red barn museum several years ago followed by two haiku.
A Vermont farmer saw something in snow--took it quite seriously. Did Snowflake Bentley ever think that snowflakes might be all the same?
Have a wonderful Holiday week. Stay healthy and safe! Thank you Linda for hosting.
Janice, I always tell people that the snow season in Syracuse extended from Thanksgiving to Easter. When it falls it is a beautiful experience and you shared that joy today.
“float down all day,
meander and play”
I used to read the Snowflake Bentley book to my students and love the story. I did not know there is a museum to honor his work. Thanks for sharing that also. Enjoy Syracuse snow and Thanksgiving.
Love your playful, whimsical poem, haiku, and the info about Snowflake Bentley. Snowflakes are mini miracles!
I love the book about Snowflake Bentley, Janice, & your connection to him plus a poem for him. And I smiled at the idea of snowflakes and their “wet chilly feet”. Have a special weekend and Thanksgiving!
Snow?! For some reason I feel like it is too early for snow, but I think I am just in denial. I love your poem, Janice, especially the line “shivery sigh”. I love sharing the Snowflake Bentley picture book by Jacqueline Briggs Martin with students. 🙂
Here’s a shivery sigh from NJ! Thanks for this intro to winter… it is just around the corner. I love Snowflake Bentley also, and must try to get to his red barn! Thanks for this… and stay warm. ;0)
I love snow–thanks for these, Janice. I especially love your second haiku, which makes me think about Snowflake Bentley and his story and explorations…
My girls and I used to borrow a Snowflake Bentley book from the library all the time. We loved it so. 🙂 Love your poems today, too, Janice. Thank you!
Appreciations for this snow party!
I love “shivery sigh.”
And wonderful to connect over our passion for Snowflake Bentley.
I have presented on the exquisite picture book about this amazing snow photographer, written
by Jacqueline Briggs Martin & illustrated by Mary Azarian. You have brought a mighty fine memory to me, here in Florida.
Giving-Thanks-Time joy to you 🙂
Jan/Bookseedstudio