As the cold earth sleeps below

Roses from snow hold on to light of the sun,
as orchestra of bold birds
sit, perched high on a bough—
let it go,
these cold weather blues have never done
anyone good,
so many childhood dreams await us,
white-gold and hopeful, carried by clouds,
can you see the outline?

A hazy shade of winter reminds me
of yesteryear’s smile,
while we observe charcoal trees,
their ancient song, sung for each passing soul
and an amber sunrise that greets,
his lips, in a silent and casual way
tell me it’s going to be a beautiful day,
for the dark has consumed
every bit there is of sorrow—
has trapped it under the ice,
and now we listen to its apocalyptic fire,
it’s indescribable,
soothing and frightening both at the same time,
tell me, can you hear the hounds of winter?

The seed has been sown,
one can’t help but speak of shadows cast
and seen
and of eons in between,
my love is winter, stalwart and true
as the cold earth sleeps below
and black-blossoming sky promises rain—
come, let us cherish winter things,
leave footprints in the snow
and see everything with a sugar heart,
there are fewer things more exhausting than
trying to process ache.

Because now, white winter hymnal beckons 
and chilled winds twist in pirouettes,
in a manner that brings out inner glow,
I confess,
I have a deep longing for sincere connection
in a shallow world,
especially, after living on a fiery ledge
for so long, all I can say is
let us weave cotton candy realities—
that is, if we make it through December.
Come, let us start dreaming again.
Yes, dreaming decisively, decadently 
as fragrant petals deliciously delicate and drifting,
urge one to fly without dread; we only live once.

 

 

 

 

Photo credits: ‘Towards Spring,’ by Josh Clare, Pinterest 

Poem inspired by Lines: As the cold earth slept below by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Lillian is our lovely hostess at dVerse where she invites us to write inspired by
songs about winter and cold weather. Come join us! ❤

List of titles:
Roses from snow (Emmylou Harris)
White winter hymnal (Fleet Foxes)
Trapped under ice (Metallica)
Let it go (Idina Menzel)
The Hounds of Winter (Sting)
Cold weather blues (Muddy Waters)
Footprints in the snow (Bill Monroe)

My love is Winter (The Smashing Pumpkins Oceania)
Winter things (Ariana Grande)
A hazy shade of Winter (Simon and Garfunkel)
If we make it through December (Merle Haggard)

Posted for Poetics: Come Sing with Me @dVerse Poets Pub

 

32 thoughts on “As the cold earth sleeps below

  1. Lillian says:

    ohhhhh Sanaa, this is BEAUTIFUL. I especially love these words
    “so many childhood dreams await us,
    white-gold and hopeful, carried by clouds,
    can you see the outline?”
    but I love them all! I want a “sugar heart” 🙂

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Lillian 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️

      (and thank you for the glorious prompt) 🌹

  2. Björn says:

    I love that positive ending… we need to get through these dark days to see some light on the other side.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Absolutely! Thank you so much, Born 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️

  3. Brendan says:

    You played the entire playlist – congrats. And managed to find a way to make that music work for your purposes. Congrats on that, too. The holiday ache seems to arise from the awful distance between what we yearn for and what is. Peace comes from some measure of acceptance of that.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Brendan 😀 so glad the poem and its imagery appealed to you 💄❤️

  4. A really excellent use of the prompt titles. I love it.
    This was a great image… an orchestra of bold birds.
    And… making deep connections in a shallow world!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Dwight 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️

  5. Mish says:

    This pulled me back into a second read to appreciate the intention and beauty of each line. I especially like these…. ” I have a deep longing for sincere connection in a shallow world” and “let us weave cotton candy realities “

    1. Sanaa says:

      Awww gosh! Thank you so much, Mish 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️

  6. Arcadia (@MissArcadia) says:

    Wow. I like how you incorporated so many titles in your poem. Nicely done.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Arcadia Maria 😀 so good to see you 💄❤️

  7. Sarah Connor says:

    there are fewer things more exhausting than
    trying to process ache.
    I really feel the truth in that. Ilove your decisive dreaming as well. A postitive decision to move on. Lovely – and well done, with incorporating every last one of those titles!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Sarah 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️

  8. Jane Dougherty says:

    This reads like musing in front of a warm fire. ‘if we can make it through December’. There’s January and February so hold tight!

    1. Sanaa says:

      I will be sure to do so! Thank you so much, Jane 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️

  9. paeansunplugged says:

    Love how you have used the titles so seamlessly, Sanaa, bringing the poem to a beautiful end. ❤️❤️

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Punam 😀 so glad the poem and its imagery appealed to you 💄❤️

  10. margaret says:

    You managed to capture the duality that is winter! I really love the image these words bring to me “I have a deep longing for sincere connection
    in a shallow world,
    especially, after living on a fiery ledge
    for so long, all I can say is
    let us weave cotton candy realities—

    1. Sanaa says:

      Awww gosh! Thank you so much, Margaret 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️

  11. Lovely, Sanaa! 💙 I especially like the positive final lines –after if we can get through December. 😊

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Merril 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️

  12. AJ says:

    Everything sang beautifully together well done 🙂

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, AJ 😀 so good to see you 💄❤️

  13. Ali Grimshaw says:

    Impressive weaving of these titles into your poem. I like the positive ending. But these are the lines that spoke to me the most.
    “for the dark has consumed
    every bit there is of sorrow—
    has trapped it under the ice,
    and now we listen to its apocalyptic fire,
    it’s indescribable,
    soothing and frightening both at the same time,
    tell me, can you hear the hounds of winter?”

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Ali 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️

  14. There are so many wonderful metaphors in this poem that I am overwhelmed. This is beautiful, Sanaa. I really like the charcoal trees singing ancient songs, and the sorrow trapped under ice. Brilliant!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Tanmay 😀 so glad the poem and its imagery appealed to you 💄❤️

  15. anotherKate says:

    This is really beautiful!

    1. Sanaa says:

      ❤️❤️❤️

  16. gillena cox says:

    Great use of the song titles, Sanaa. And i particurlarly luv this
    “so many childhood dreams await us,
    white-gold and hopeful, carried by clouds,”
    Thanks for dropping by to read mine.

    Much💜love

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Gillena 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️

      Much love back 🥂

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