Melt

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January 20, 2012 by Betty Hayes Albright

Like silent statues

Image via Wikipedia

in the wind

we’re trees

in freezing rain.

Our branches wrap

in rigid ice,

we comb our thoughts

with icicles

and cease to move

except to break.

But then it comes,

the thrust of sun

to melt our casings

into tears

freeing us to hunger,

and to thirst, and

to pine -

but joyfully.

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Posted in Poetry 2000 - 2009 | Tagged feeling, Freezing rain, hunger, Ice storm, joy, melting, Poetry, sun, tears | 27 Comments

27 Responses

on January 20, 2012 at 9:31 pm | Reply Caddo Veil

Oh, isn’t this a beauty!! I like “comb our thoughts with icicles” the best! And then “melt our casings into tears”–Betty, your images are always so rich (and I didn’t even mind the cold!). Have to add that, upon another read, I’m quite taken with “pine–but joyfully”. I think I do a lot of that.
- on January 21, 2012 at 4:34 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thanks, Caddo – I knew you’d pick up on the “pining joyfully” phrase… we both know that theme well, it seems?
  
  (Hope you’re enjoying the weather today with the snow melting – and I think we’re about to have a beautiful sunset! The sun is shining on the tree tops. Need to get my camera… quick!!)
on January 20, 2012 at 9:53 pm | Reply meiro

to melt our casings
into tears
freeing us to hunger,

Lovely
Best wishes.
- on January 21, 2012 at 4:40 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thank you, Meiro for your comment – and best wishes back to you!
on January 20, 2012 at 11:56 pm | Reply lscotthoughts

I love your images, Betty, and then, to pine, but joyfully, beautiful~we don’t have snow here, so it’s welcoming to me…xx
- on January 21, 2012 at 4:41 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Glad you liked it, Lauren. (Our snow is melting now… it was fun while it lasted!)
on January 21, 2012 at 12:07 am | Reply df barker

Hi, wonderful imagery again here. I especially like:

But then it comes,

the thrust of sun

to melt our casings

into tears

freeing us to hunger,

Thank you for sharing Betty.
- on January 21, 2012 at 4:42 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thank YOU for the nice comment, David!
on January 21, 2012 at 1:15 am | Reply Francina

Our branches wrap
in rigid ice,
we comb or thoughts
with icicles

Hi Betty,

this are very remarkable lines in an outstanding poem. I love them. Just wondering though if you meant our thoughts instead of or thoughts. English being not my native language might have to do with my wondering
Francina
- on January 21, 2012 at 4:28 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Francina, thank you very much for your comment, and for pointing out that mistake! If not for you, I probably wouldn’t have ever noticed it. You are totally correct – “or” should have been “our” and I’ve now corrected it. Thank you again!
  Betty
on January 21, 2012 at 9:33 am | Reply granbee

We ARE those fragile tree limbs, coated with ice, waiting for the warmth of new Light. Let us not break before the sun reaches us again. Fabulous poem, Betty, so “finished” and complete in its rhythms and refrains.
- on January 21, 2012 at 4:45 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thanks, Granbee – ’tis indeed good when the ice melts!
on January 21, 2012 at 11:37 am | Reply dribblingpensioner

Lovely poem Betty.
- on January 21, 2012 at 4:45 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thanks, DP!!!
on January 21, 2012 at 12:13 pm | Reply Vampire Weather

A chillingly perfect arrangement of words, Betty! Your words gather the power of the elements and meld them into the soul of humanity to form an energy in your work that is simply magical!
- on January 21, 2012 at 4:46 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  VW, thank you for your poetic comment – even your prose is wonderful!
on January 22, 2012 at 2:33 am | Reply planaquarium

I’m with Caddo – the “comb our thoughts with icicles” line is simply brilliant imagery! This shines and sparkles like as everything you write, thank you for sharing your gifts with us.
- on January 22, 2012 at 3:42 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thank you, Planaquarium. (I almost threw that line out when revising!)
on January 22, 2012 at 3:02 am | Reply The Henry Brothers

beautiful imagery – the melt – the thrusting sun – casings of ice…….I do like your poems.
- on January 22, 2012 at 3:43 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thank you for such a nice comment, Henry Brothers!
on January 22, 2012 at 6:14 am | Reply Christine Moran

This poem, and all your poems with all their delicious metaphors are pure joy to read Betty, thank you!

Christine x
- on January 22, 2012 at 3:44 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Christine, thank YOU so much!
on January 22, 2012 at 6:08 pm | Reply Anna Mark

I love the idea of combing thoughts!
- on January 23, 2012 at 2:04 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thanks, Anna!
on January 22, 2012 at 7:03 pm | Reply Thomas Davis

Betty, I am running behind on your poetry and have to get to catching up. I’ve had some health problems and am trying to keep up with the college, but I’ve got to get busy. This is as joyful as most of your poetry is, and combines the ice of winter and the melting of spring into a metaphor about pining–joyfully, of course. Halleluah!
- on January 23, 2012 at 2:04 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thomas, I appreciate your thoughtful comment so much – and hope your health problems have improved. Thank you for being here!!
on January 31, 2012 at 3:22 pm | Reply Ben Naga

Another lovely piece, Betty.