In white-out of the wailing weather
tethered to a moaning mountain wind;
blinded windows rattle, shaking wooden hut,
but in the gentle fire-crackling warmth
arms stay folded to surprising dreams
seeming better than the trailing melodies.
therapy of books in flickering candle-light
brightness brought from carried sentences,
distanced from the outside screaming storm
forming floods of seeing tropic worlds
whirls to Marlow-guided jungle-paths
passing into darkest ivory and Kurz’s sins.
Today at dVerse Poetics Marina Sofia wants us to write about a situation when we have been prevented from snow, ice or similar by the weather. To me last winter came to my mind. We were out in the mountains by Easter, and knew we were going to get bad weather, so we headed to a remote cabin where we knew we would be weatherlocked. That day I read Heart of Darkness, which was a very interesting contrast. I did some experimenting with rhymes in my poem too.
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February 2, 2015
Björn Rudbergs writings
Poetry and fiction by a physicist from the dark side
Björn Rudbergs writings 
You make me a little envious. Being snowed in in a remote cabin – as long as you are with the right people, of course, otherwise it could be nightmare sounds an ideal way to experience a real break. I liked how you presented a variety of contrasts.
some really interesting use of words too…like alliteration and consonance like bright brought, screaming storm and such…what a cool thing, knowing you would be weathered in…a cabin would not be a bad place to be…and def a contrast between your story and the book…
“Therapy of books”…I like that. And Conrad’s novel is certainly an interesting read. Love your use of alliteration in this too.
arms stay folded to surprising dreams…I like that. hugging them to oneself,warming oneself while outside, hostile weather roars. Safe and secure and warm….nice place to be.
That is a time I wound’t mind being locked in by snow at all… great people, books and conversation!? Let the snow pile on…
Grand write, Bjorn… really liked the flickering candle light creating distance between the screams of the snowstorm..
Vividly described scene using metaphor, simile, wordplay, threat and safety, sounds and vibrations in a wild wilderness. A fantastic piece of writing Bjorn.
Very good. I too loved “therapy of books”
I think books (as well as writing poetry – smiles) are a good way to deal with the whirling weather outside. You can almost forget….and I did enjoy the way you experimented with rhymes. Noted the end of line rhyming with the beginning of the next on several occasions.
see – now i wanna get snowed in in a warm and cozy place with a fire cracklling, the loved one and a good book..
I haven’t experienced being snowed in, in a cabin with howling storm outside ~ I specially like:
therapy of books in flickering candle-light – because lots of books are needed to pass the time ~
For too many of us these days, brother, the ipads & notebooks & smart phones would track wi fi from satellites, & the pristine environment you describe, that you enjoyed it seems, would be violated by the bitches of technology, whirring, dinging, honking,
buzzing; your world, your words so much more old school preferable.
That does sound very cosy – and what a companion, Joseph Conrad. I do like the alliteration and the last line is particularly effective.
great description of being snowed in
Very nicely done, Bjorn. Such imagery! “brightness brought from carried sentences”
Love this: brightness brought from carried sentences, Very nice turn of phrase, Bjorn.
I would hate to be snowed in like this, but you at least left us with the warmth of the fire and a good book. Peace, Linda
Lovely! To be absorbed by a book while the winter breathes outside is a wonderful thing to do. 🙂
I think the fact that we have a fireplace might be the thing that gets me through the winter… Even when it’s nasty outside, I love being able to snuggle up in the warmth with a good book. Love the language in this!
Ah.. to curl up with a warm book with added human imagination and creativity is to escape the worst of nature and human storms…
And to read enough is enough to inspire the imagination and creativity of words snowing down from avalanche of mind..:)
What a great take on the poem, I especially like ‘therapy of books in flickering candle-light / brightness brought from carried sentences’ – demonstrates a true love of reading that so many of us identify with 🙂
So many rich and beautiful phrases in this. My son is living in a small cabin considerably north of me and with the weather we’ve had, I’m sure his wood stove is warm and crackling right now.
“Tethered to a moaning mountain wind” Wow! The imagery in this poem is superb Brian.
Sorry, I meant Bjorn.
From the moaning mountain wind to all the images in the middle, to the reference to Marlow, I then let out an audible sigh..nicely written…I have to re-read Heart of Darkness.
The moral of this story: never go anywhere without a book! You’ve created a fabulous atmosphere with this poem.
Nothing like a book about tropic places, Bjorn, on a cold winter night. 🙂 — Suzanne
You have that knack of getting things done under adverse conditions. It is always a positive thing to do! Great write Bjorn!
Hank
Such peace inside the storm. I was just reading “Heart of Darkness” a week ago and I like how you incorperated it into your work.
authentic work – you know snow…and poems.
A white-out tethered to a moaning mountain wind: juxtaposed against scenes from the Heart of Africa in the Joseph Conrad book. I like what you’ve done here, a lot!
So fine to read. …the situation outside and inside….feeling the contrast. ….and I can imagine how good it will be …..reading like that…..
fun contrast of harsh reality outside and harsh imagination inside but between the two, warmth and beauty. Not the typical sanctuary of some idealistic deep inner perfection, but of the boundaries of who we are.
Hey Bjorn, I like your literary allusions…books and stormy weather just go together. I like the chained rhyme; your opening lines draw me right in. Cool!
Now that was interesting juxtaposition! Great descripton of the snowstorm