When only dark-
ness tells
of winter,
while the earth
lay bare
— an open mud-
scarred wound —
I long for blue
of shadows cast
by moon on snow.
The void that’s left
from lack of ice
can not be filled
by spring’s
return of light
Me my mother and little sister while we still had winter in Sweden
Linking to Earthweal were we write about SOLASTALGIA, the sense of loss from being a refuge in a changing world (either by staying or being forced to leave) made me think how much I miss snow and ice this winter that is the warmest ever measured here In Sweden.
Also linking to the dVerse and the Quadrille where we use the word fill in a 44-word poem.
—
February 10, 2019
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Love the photo, Bjorn.
And this:
“an open mud-
scarred wound”
So vivid.
It’s very scary to hear about such significant global warming. I read where it was 68 degrees in Antarctica last week; damn.
The loss of winter around the world is truly a frightening event.
No snow in Sweden is devastating 😦
Everybody is talking about the warnings, most of us are doing nothing about it.
I like the description of the moon, snow and blue shadows.
A timely tale, Bjorn.
Oh my goodness, no snow in Sweden?????? It was 68 degrees in Antarctica the other day. Alarming.
beautiful nostalgia
I too love this part:
while the earth
lay bare
— an open mud-
scarred wound —
Alas, too much snow over here.
Lately, there have been a lot of ice storms here and many have been without power. Nature is certainly causing extreme conditions.
Ah, Bjorn, I think this might be the saddest poem of all. We are trading the beauty of winter for a pile of mud.
That’s a lovely photograph, Björn, very sostalgic. I can understand how Scandinavians feel about losing winter to climate change. We seem to have had our winter yesterday – all in one day. I know exactly what you mean in the opening stanza, ‘When only dark- / ness tells / of winter’ and the longing for ‘blue /of shadows cast / by moon on snow’.Sarah is right about being left with a pile of mud.
Great response to the earthweal challenge, Bjorn. It must be very disorienting to live through a Swedish winter without snow. All that bare ground burdened with the ghost of ice. I liken it to recent summers in Florida when heat passed its maximum, up over 100F (38C). Some essential cog in the summer rhythm was broken, and I’ve never forgotten those moments. It’s like a tooth of a smiling Buddha statue has fallen out.
Stunning
While winter is my least favorite season, I do love the serenity a white blanket of snow gives to an otherwise barren scene.
Beautiful sad and frightening piece. I hate winter, but know we need it, not only for survival, but for its beauty as well.
Interesting to hear your take on Sweden’s winter. I used to love winter but we haven’t had one this year, just rain and mud and sleet, Then, Lord! an actual snowfall, but wait….rain the next day. But there’s no global warming. We stick our heads in the mud.
The deep sadness here is heartfelt–blue shadows of the moon the very soul of nature, disrupted and gone..your picture of unwanted change is vivid and clear, and while it brings up serious intellectual issues, it also is just very fine poetry.
Such a lovely photograph and does feel as if the lack of ice leaves a void in Winter – we’re having a very mild one in the Highlands too.
Love the photo! Amazing, frightful weather changes everywhere. The void is felt.
It is sad to think of what is happening–our warm winter is strange enough here in NJ, but no snow in Sweden is tragic.
I concur, from another place where darkness and bare trees are the only signs of winter. I miss the snow, though I admit I wouldn’t mind if the snow didn’t remain very long. I never expected to miss it so.
The last stanza is brimming with hope!