Monday, January 02, 2017

Still Lives


Me and my camera
the giant blue sky
the endless circle of horizon
the great mound of the mountain
stolid behind tapering trees
the far shore of the pond
the water, ice crusted and still,
the jumble of roadside brush
full of chittering finches
the one oak leaf that would not let go
the soft cap of snow in an abandoned nest
the fragile ice on Queen Anne’s lace
the drop of frozen water at the tip of a branch
the shadow of a single vine on a fence board


our eyes, one alive, one mechanical
recorded it all

They are pictures of silence
of quietude
of moments and shadows
still shots of life

that despite being captured
spill into the day, singing,
as though me and my camera
did not exist

except as still shots


7 comments:

molly said...


Beautiful photos and word pictures of the stillness and beauty of the earth's winter sleep.

Hope you have lots more words and photos for us in 2017 Pauline!

The Furry Gnome said...

Your words create a great picture!

molly said...


On a second look I wondered about "Still Lives." Did you mean to tell us that you live still? Or is it a reference to the photos --- plural of "Still Life?" Just curious! Either way it makes for lovely reading....

Out on the prairie said...


I saw myself walking with my camera out in the woods

Pauline said...

Molly - it's a reference to still shots :)

Thanks, Furry Gnome.

OOTP - you do the same, I know!

Barbara said...

You make the cold sound so beautiful! You've convinced me to get out for my morning walk. I've been holding off because it's way down in the upper 20's! :) No beauty like this (no snow or ice) but you reminded me I'll find some if I open my eyes. Thank you!

Pauline said...

Barbara - you are one of the most up beat people! It's so encouraging :) Thanks.