forever if not

· by · in dVerse, poetry. ·

if not the for the thaw
this midwinter day
when sun would collapse
to the toll of the bells,

if not for for the snow
forgotten the corpse
of intentions once spread
to the wind of the organ

if not for the twilight
night would stand strong
against hope of renewal
letting death to prevail

if not for the words
thoughtlessly spread
breeze would fair better
buried at sea.

if not for the hope
that tides would reverse
this midwinter day
will forever be night.

Edward Hopper

Today Dora hosts a prompt at dVerse on margins, to some extent the mood we are in January with many things still waiting for change. The prompt has many images and poems, including some bells and organ music (recorded at a church in my Hometown).

January 14, 2025

30 responses to “forever if not”

  1. I like the repetition in your poem, Björn, and love the phrase ‘sun would collapse to the toll of the bells’, and the lines:

    ‘if not for the hope
    that tides would reverse
    this midwinter day
    will forever be night’ –

    so true. And the Hopper painting is gorgeous – it’s the first time I’ve seen it.

      • I found it randomly on Pinterest, I think, but googling it since I cannot find a definitive source for it or the other “Hopper” image I posted, so I suspect it may be AI generated. I’ve updated both images on the post to that effect. It teaches me to be more guarded as to what’s authentic and what’s not. Margins again. Sorry about that.

  2. Oh, this is beautiful, Björn! I love the margins of weather, of light, tides, used to make your point thematically. And surely hope must thrive in them all for man to do so too.

  3. This is incredibly powerful, Bjorn! 💙💙 I especially resonate with; “if not for the twilight night would stand strong against hope of renewal letting death to prevail.”

  6. Wow, this really speaks to the necessity of each element to move us forward in life, in time, in hopes of infinity, from the darkness to light again……so beautifully said.

  12. The repetition is the driving force through the “if not” one imagines what could be if the tides were different.

    Wonderful ponderings

  13. Your poem is beautifully composed, I sit here reading it and fantasize an actor on stage, a booming yet soothing voice, reciting it to an enthralled audience.

  16. I love your poem, Björn! It’s fabulous.
    What a beautiful stanza to start with!

    if not the for the thaw
    this midwinter day
    when sun would collapse
    to the toll of the bells,

    Love, love, love it 🩷

  17. A great midwinter turning poem, Bjorn, and here’s to that margin from which the green year arises again. And it’s a marvel to me you write so well in English – your second language, isn’t it? So many for whom English is native can’t write anything close …

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