WHEN cold December
Froze to grisamber
The jangling bells on the sweet rose-trees--
Then fading slow
And furred is the snow
As the almond's sweet husk--
And smelling like musk.
The snow amygdaline
Under the eglantine
Where the bristling stars shine
Like a gilt porcupine--
The snow confesses
The little Princesses
On their small chioppines
Dance under the orpines.
See the casuistries
Of their slant fluttering eyes--
Gilt as the zodiac
(Dancing Herodiac).
Only the snow slides
Like gilded myrrh--
From the rose-branches--hides
Rose-roots that stir.
Froze to grisamber
The jangling bells on the sweet rose-trees--
Then fading slow
And furred is the snow
As the almond's sweet husk--
And smelling like musk.
The snow amygdaline
Under the eglantine
Where the bristling stars shine
Like a gilt porcupine--
The snow confesses
The little Princesses
On their small chioppines
Dance under the orpines.
See the casuistries
Of their slant fluttering eyes--
Gilt as the zodiac
(Dancing Herodiac).
Only the snow slides
Like gilded myrrh--
From the rose-branches--hides
Rose-roots that stir.
~edith sitwell
edith sitwell drawing by rex whistler
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I have never read this poem.
ReplyDeleteThank You for sharing it.
December is my favorite month.
ReplyDeleteWow, we are on the same wave-length lately, LA. I just started reading Edith Sitwell's biography of Alexander Pope, which has this Rex Whistler drawing on the cover! Also many thanks for following my blog!! You have no idea how this bolsters my flagging spirits, due to giving up my collag-a-day project recently. I am trying to transmogrify the blog into something that might still be interesting, since its raison d'etre has been yanked out from under it. Yours is where I come for inspiration!
ReplyDeleteEdith Sitwell was pretty great, but Rex Whistler never fails to floor me
ReplyDeleteLovely !! Lovely new banner as well !! I adore your posts , we must have more , I so enjoy them and look forward to them !!! :-))))
ReplyDeleteThe poem dances me into winter time and the head banner brings me to think of Christmas cake!! Have a lovely evening:::)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful drawing...And that poem is so eccentric and for me almost a tongue twister!!!...
ReplyDeleteDear Gaye, wonderful poem and drawing. I've never seen it before xx
ReplyDeleteBruce, Christina- it is lovely and unusual, as is everything that touch her fine fingertips. pgt
ReplyDeleteJanet- yes a definite nip in the air-actually it is frigid here. get ready for a snowy winter-I think.
Kristin, Victoria- it is a dance of sorts, eccentric is the perfect word.
John, I agree about Rex Whistler. There should be a wonderful book done on him.
ReplyDeleteDiane, that book, which I have not read, but now I must, should fuel you inordinately. When it gets laborious- it has no joy, as a client told me when I started this blog and talked about what direction it should take- she said-It is Yours do with it as you want! I have taken that to heart every day since I started.
Modern Country Lady, thank you, I have been all over the place with the header recently, so I settle for a plum pudding! This was on a card I sent out years ago and scanned in, I need to find it and share the artist with everyone. pgt
ReplyDeleteThis is actually a very good poem, beneath all the Renishaw houseparty camp. I'd love to hear this lady ordering her groceries - not that I imagine she ever did. :)
ReplyDeleteLaurent, oh yes.
ReplyDelete