Go to dunesifter
- Add a comment
- Go to It is a -4f Canadian Winter Wonderland
I look forward to reading it Mac!
posted by
ginnieb
on January 10, 2006 at 7:56 PM
| link to this | reply
Blanche
I'm not much of a fan of any kind of poetry, Blanche. I think its more the pride in my birthplace, more than anything else, that makes Burns resonate.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 10, 2006 at 5:26 AM
| link to this | reply
Geez ginnie
Another poet? And in Scots, no less. I am impressed. I have a parody of a Burns poem I received from my friend in Scotland. I will post it on the day and see if anybody understands a word of it. Congrats on the tartan serape.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 10, 2006 at 5:20 AM
| link to this | reply
jacenta
Congratulations on having so many poems published, jacenta. As for poems being a means of communication, I tend to get irritated after reading a poem and not understanding what the poet was trying to say. I think for a giggle, I'll try to compose one and see what kind of garbage I come up with.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 10, 2006 at 5:16 AM
| link to this | reply
John MacNab,
Pretentious? Because you used a word over 2 syllables? Nah! Although, after looking it up, it still isn't quite resonating with me, quite the same way that "gleamy" does. Rabbie Burns would reduce me to tears, of frustration, trying to figure out the Scottish/English translation. I'm not much of a fan of older poetry.
posted by
Blanche.
on January 9, 2006 at 4:02 PM
| link to this | reply
Geez Mac!
I keep getting those two mixed up! Gotta do sumthin about that!
I just ordered a serape online today! Getting it made in my father's family clan..mine to I guess/hoping! Gotta get ready for Robbie Burns night this year! I missed it last year but two years in a row I wrote and recited a poem.
posted by
ginnieb
on January 9, 2006 at 3:56 PM
| link to this | reply
johnmcnab...
Wow! I am impressed. You actually remember my weather poem? Must be you have one terrific memory for you to remember my little old poem for this long. Regardless of why you remember it, it is nice that you do.
I enjoy poetry as long as it isn't so complex that I just can't understand it, regardless of how many times I read it. In a creative writing class, oft the instructor would ask what we thought the author of the poem was relating to and more than not I came up with it's meaning, even when other's couldn't, but there are times I just want to ask the poet, "Exactly what were you referring to when you wrote this line?" To me writing poetry is a form of communicating and if the poetry is so deep and complex that I haven't a clue of the authors intent for writing it, it takes away the enjoyment of reading it.
I have sold and had published so many poems, but they are simply simplistic. I should be more complex. Maybe, some day I will be. haha 
There is sooooooooooo much yet, for me to learn.
Thank you for your visit and tell Ell hello from me!!!!
posted by
jacentaOld
on January 9, 2006 at 6:37 AM
| link to this | reply
Original
Thank you, Original.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 9, 2006 at 5:59 AM
| link to this | reply
jacenta
I read your weather poem, jacenta, and I loved it. I can't honestly say I don't like all poetry. Rabbie Burns, for instance, can reduce me to tears.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 9, 2006 at 5:52 AM
| link to this | reply
ginnie
A ruthless race? The Scots? I think you're getting mixed up, and are thinking of the English. The Scots are naive and peace-loving. It may be true that the armies that conquered the world so that it could be called the British Empire, were Scots Highlanders, but that was only because the English forced them, on fear of taking their claymores away. Behave yourself, ginnie!
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 9, 2006 at 5:50 AM
| link to this | reply
Great descripteve piece.
posted by
Original_Influence
on January 9, 2006 at 4:16 AM
| link to this | reply
johnmcnab...
You're not a fan of poetry? I wrote a poem in regards to just the type of weather
that you describe. I love the beauty of it all, as long as I am indoors and warm. haha
posted by
jacentaOld
on January 8, 2006 at 8:14 PM
| link to this | reply
LOL Mac...
..such a ruthless race!
Gotta say I love them though!
posted by
ginnieb
on January 8, 2006 at 7:33 PM
| link to this | reply
Tapsel, Blanche
Sigh! Now I find that I was using a
pretentious word. I just can't win this weekend.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 8, 2006 at 5:41 AM
| link to this | reply
Blanche, Tapsel
That was interesting, guys. When I'm on the computer, not matter what it is I'm doing, I usually have my 'favorites' window open down the left hand side, (which really, really, annoys Ell). In the favorites window I have things like 'currency converter, inches to millimeters, temperture conversion and MSN Learning dictionary. For looking up a word I open up 'Learning', and type in the word. Once I have it, I click on the 'back' button and I'm back in Blogitland.
I have never tried it Tapsel's way. So what I just did was highlight coruscate, right click on coruscate and hey presto when the window popped open I clicked on it and went straight to a dictionary. Here I am, Tapsel, at 68 still learning on a snowy Sunday morning.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 8, 2006 at 5:38 AM
| link to this | reply
Taps
I had to look it up as well, Taps, as I thought it had two r's. I've used it often but never written it.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 8, 2006 at 5:15 AM
| link to this | reply
ginnie
ginnie, the first thing I thought when I read your comment was how cold it was in Scotland in February, then I looked outside and burst out laughing. No tips for a Canadian - apart from please remember that pedestrians don't have the same power over there as they do in Canada. Here cars stop for pedestrians - in Scotland they will also stop for you, when they've run you down. Pop in and say hello to my buddy when you're over. Have a great time.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 8, 2006 at 5:14 AM
| link to this | reply
Blanche
I've neve been a fan of poetry of any kind, Blanche. When I was taking a course on creative writing when I first came over here, we were asked to write a poem. I found it incredibly difficult.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 8, 2006 at 5:09 AM
| link to this | reply
Hmm... I'll have to think of something that's been bugging me,
like the words to "Jackson" with Johnny and June Carter Cash. Thank you for the tips.
posted by
Blanche.
on January 7, 2006 at 9:10 PM
| link to this | reply
BlancheDubois, you can get any song lyrics the same way. just type - lyrics "______" with name of song in quotes.
posted by
TAPS.
on January 7, 2006 at 9:09 PM
| link to this | reply
Thank you, Tapsel,
I found my way to a thesaurus/dictionary site and found a Pope verse using "coruscated": Very fun.
Gleam´y
| a. | 1. | Darting beams of light; casting light in rays; flashing; coruscating. In brazed arms, that cast a gleamy ray, Swift through the town the warrior bends his way. - Pope. |
posted by
Blanche.
on January 7, 2006 at 9:04 PM
| link to this | reply
BlancheDubois, just type in the search box above - define "_____" (the word in quotation marks). It will take you to several online dictionaries and you just pick one.
posted by
TAPS.
on January 7, 2006 at 8:55 PM
| link to this | reply
JohnMcnab, Tapsel, etal
Okay, shoot me now, I hate to admit to such ignorance, but can anybody (Tapsel, John, etc) tell me how to look up a word in a dictionary without having to leave Blogit completely? I have Internet Exploer on a Dell. That is, if it's no big deal to explain, thanks.
posted by
Blanche.
on January 7, 2006 at 8:50 PM
| link to this | reply
Well, you got me, Johnmcnab. I now have to look us coruscate. Somehow I have lived 68 years without using that one. I loved your description of the January weather.
posted by
TAPS.
on January 7, 2006 at 8:48 PM
| link to this | reply
So Mac?
Ach! It's a good thing to go to Scotland in Feb? Hehe!! We'll see eh? Any tips?
posted by
ginnieb
on January 7, 2006 at 8:40 PM
| link to this | reply
JohnMcNab,
I like poetry that smells! I've never been much of a fan of romantic poetry, it lacks a little reality. IMHO>
posted by
Blanche.
on January 7, 2006 at 6:23 PM
| link to this | reply
BI
Thank YOU, BrightIrish, for my daily laugh.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 7, 2006 at 6:13 PM
| link to this | reply
Blanche
Ach, lass there's nothin' wrong wi' a guid dose o' reality - even if it does smell, Blanche.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 7, 2006 at 6:12 PM
| link to this | reply
You wrote this so very well and I could see the beauty of it all. Thank You!
posted by
BrightIrish
on January 7, 2006 at 5:12 PM
| link to this | reply
I was just re-reading that. Pasternak seems to belong to the realistic school of poetry, LOL.
posted by
Blanche.
on January 7, 2006 at 4:16 PM
| link to this | reply
Blanche Dubois
A very appropriate poem from Pasternak, Blanche. I love the
'smell of life-begetting dung' line.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 7, 2006 at 4:15 PM
| link to this | reply
JohnMcnab,
I was interrupted while reading this blog, and before getting back to it, I went through a box of family photos, and came across a book of poetry with a poem that seems apropos, by Pasternak:
The earth is steaming, drenched in sweat,
Ravines run dazed and turbulent
Like a bustling milkmaid hard at worrk,
Spring laborslong, is well content
The scanty snows now sick and helpless
Lie prone, with branching bluish veins.
The tines of pitchforks glow with health,
Freed from their winter rust and stains.
O nights, O passing days and nights!
The drip from eaves and window sills,
The thinning iciciles on gables,
The chatter of unsleeping rills!
The pigeons peck at oats in snow
About the sheds and stables flung
Wide open, and vaster than spring air
The smell of life-begetting dung.
It sounds like the Russians have a pretty similar view!
posted by
Blanche.
on January 7, 2006 at 3:44 PM
| link to this | reply
ginnie
You're going to Scotland on February the 1st, ginnie? You jammy so-and-so.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 7, 2006 at 3:15 PM
| link to this | reply
LOL at your comment to MerryAnne, Mac!
I'll be in Scotland (afore ye) hehe....on Feb1st. I'll check out that cloud for ye!
posted by
ginnieb
on January 7, 2006 at 2:33 PM
| link to this | reply
MerryAnne
I am still filled with wonder at the distances involved, MerryAnne. In Scotland, if it was raining on the east coast, it was raining on the west coast - come to think of it, it would probably be raining from the same cloud. I see what you mean about the differences between posts.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 7, 2006 at 1:49 PM
| link to this | reply
ginnieb
I am in complete agreement, ginnie, when it comes to the crap winter. It is neither one thing or the other. Maybe it will get better after the January thaw. What I am not looking forward to is March. If it was anything like last year, it will rain for a month, and our hose may float away. At the moment it is frozen to the ground.
posted by
johnmacnab
on January 7, 2006 at 1:47 PM
| link to this | reply
I just wrote a post about January here John...
clearly we are not within spittin' distance of each other! lol!
posted by
MerryAnne
on January 7, 2006 at 1:01 PM
| link to this | reply
Sounds so pretty Mac!
My January Canada calendar shows a frozen St Lawrence....made me think of you and your views and descriptions...very cool.....ummm...cold..ummm awesome! I hate thaws...keep it cold..that's my motto! It's been a crap winter so far here...gloomy grey days...no snow! Yuck! A useless winter in my opinion!
posted by
ginnieb
on January 7, 2006 at 12:08 PM
| link to this | reply