The opening line of this poem had been in my mind for a couple of days, though I had no idea where it was leading me...till yesterday, when more started to grow and the end result I now present here.
Cloister Cemetery in the Snow
Caspar David Friedrich
[1810]
The Cloister bell
…Cracked…
Rang in discord
Across the endless snow
…Muffled…
Crows, rooks and ravens
In funereal waed
Cluster round
The fresh dug grave
Eye the stones
With their worn-out words
Unread through ages
Hooded eyes watch
With predatory air
Landscape mocks
White on black
The mourners
Black on white
A solitary scarlet rose
Cast upon the ground
Mocks blood
Soon hidden by the snow
Ignored by the birds
Then silence
Save the Cloister bell
Tolling
One word may need to be explained ~ Waed [pronounced “weed”] is an Old English word meaning, “garment”. It still is in use, with the spelling "weed", in the phrase "widow's weeds"
referring to the mourning clothes.
I thank my Muse for hinting so strongly about what I needed to do for this poem.
This is my offering for:
http://dversepoets.com/2011/11/29/openlinknight-week-20/
Caspar David Friedrich
[1810]
The Cloister Bell - 24 Nov 11
The Cloister bell
…Cracked…
Rang in discord
Across the endless snow
…Muffled…
Crows, rooks and ravens
In funereal waed
Cluster round
The fresh dug grave
Eye the stones
With their worn-out words
Unread through ages
Hooded eyes watch
With predatory air
Landscape mocks
White on black
The mourners
Black on white
A solitary scarlet rose
Cast upon the ground
Mocks blood
Soon hidden by the snow
Ignored by the birds
Then silence
Save the Cloister bell
Tolling
One word may need to be explained ~ Waed [pronounced “weed”] is an Old English word meaning, “garment”. It still is in use, with the spelling "weed", in the phrase "widow's weeds"
referring to the mourning clothes.
I thank my Muse for hinting so strongly about what I needed to do for this poem.
This is my offering for:
http://dversepoets.com/2011/11/29/openlinknight-week-20/
Posts
"Crows, rooks and ravens"
ReplyDeletequite fitting for the mood and the setting. i especially love
"Rang in discord"
that set the feel of the entire piece to me. another poem that is out of the ordinary for you but just as stunning as your love poems. full of such striking imagery! i love, love, love this!
Thank you dani ♥ for your lovely comments - I have to admit that I am particularly pleased with the way this poem worked out ♥
ReplyDeleteyou capture well the scene and the somberness of the grave side...i like the snow covereing the blood...nice symbolism that..and thanks for teaching me a new word as well...i like that you begin and end on the bell as well..
ReplyDeletesharp and creepy imagery with nature in winter.
ReplyDeleteThank you Brian, for visiting and for your really great comments - very much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteThank you "Orange Tree" for your comment - good to see you here.
ReplyDeletelove the atmosphere you weave here with the cloister bells, the rose, the snow.. reminds me somehow of the movie "der name der rose" not sure about the english title - maybe the name of the rose
ReplyDeleteHello Claudia ♥ Thank you for your lovely comments ♥ I saw "The name of the Rose" a long time ago - I don't think that it inspired me though, after all this time, I cannot be certain.
ReplyDelete♥
The winter bells that ring the end..the dark, the raven, the widows weeds casting contrast on the snow. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteHello Gay ♥ thank you for visiting and thank you for your lovely comment ♥
ReplyDelete