Wednesday 11 December 2019

December 11th and A Winter Poem

In one of my Christmas books is a poem by Ogden Nash called A Word About Winter

To save me typing the whole thing out I looked on line so I could just copy it over, except after looking all over the place on poetry sites and Ogden Nash sites it was nowhere around.

Perhaps it isn't as well known, anyway I forced to copy from the book, he was a great one for  making things rhyme......... somehow!

A Word About Winter

Now the frost is on the pane,
Rugs upon the floor again,
Now the screens are in the cellar,
Now the student cons the speller,
Lengthy summer noon has gone,
Twilight treads the heels of dawn,
Round-eyed sun is now a squinter,
Tiptoe breeze a panting sprinter,
Every cloud a blizzard hinter,
Squirrel on the snow a sprinter,
Rain spout sprouteth icy splinter,
Willy-nilly, this is winter. 

Summer-swollem doorjambs settle,
Ponds and puddles turn to metal,
Skater whoops in frisky fettle,
Golf-club stingeth like a nettle,
Hearth is Popocatepetl.

Runneth nose and chappeth lip,
Draft evadeth weather strip
Doctor wrestleth with grippe
In never ending rivalship.
Rosebush droops in garden shoddy,
Blood is cold and thin in body,
Weary postman dreams of toddy,
Head before the hearth grows noddy.

On the hearth the embers gleam,
Glowing like a maiden's dream,
Now the apple and the oak
Paint the sky with chimney smoke,
Husband now without disgrace,
Dumps ash trays in the fireplace.




                        A cold winter sunrise many years ago on the road in front of  the smallholding


Back Tomorrow
Sue

19 comments:

  1. Rain spout sprouteth icy splinter, try saying that aloud several times! I love the rhyming.

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    1. Very clever to find rhymes for so many line endings

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    3. Especially with a runneth nose and chappeth lips.

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  2. I just love Ogden Nash's wordplay and wonderfully contrived rhymes. Two favourites are The Perfect Husband (He tells you when you've got on too much lipstick, and helps you with your girdle when your hips stick) and his limerick (totally inappropriate for someone in my position to be quoting, but it makes me giggle) "A Crusader's wife slipped from the garrison, and had an affair with a Saracen. She was not over-sexed, or jealous or vexed. She just wanted to make a comparison!"

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  3. Wonderful! Such fun to read aloud; it all pours out so satisfyingly!
    xx

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    1. Runneth nose and chappeth lip - just sums up the grandchildren with colds!

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    2. Yes, that third verse really sums up winter to me, Sue! Thanks for sharing x

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    3. Doesn't it just, Sue - and un-numbered classes of year 1 children too.

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  4. Delightful poem.

    Lovely photos.

    I enjoy winter, from inside of course. -smile-

    "Jingle bells, jingle bells,
    jingle all the way..."

    ♬ 🎶 ♫

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  5. Ooops, that should have been _PHOTO_ singular. -smile-

    "Jingle bells, jingle bells,
    jingle all the way..."

    ♬ 🎶 ♫

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  7. I love a well rhymed poem. Your sunrise photo is beautiful!

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  8. Loved the Ogden Nash - he always makes me smile.

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  9. I have always liked Ogden Nash. His poetry is very entertaining.

    God bless.

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  10. Thanks for sharing - it is delightful. Winter is best viewed from indoors!

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  11. I've always liked Ogden Nash. This is charming.

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