Francis Berger
  • Blog
  • My Work

Equinox and After

3/21/2019

2 Comments

 
My winter night walks have become spring sunset walks. The change happened as most changes do – gradually then suddenly. One evening I am out walking next to the river, the diaphanous mist of my exhalations suspended and illuminated in the darkness by my headlamp; the next evening I am bathed in the warm orange glow of the setting spring sun inhaling the faint scent of wild plum blossoms. Though I have enjoyed my winter night walks, it is good to feel the sun’s rays again and see the verdant world that has laid dormant for so long energetically awaken from its slumber. 

The spring equinox was glorious. Untarnished blue skies marred only by the vapor trails of occasional jets passing overhead. Warm spring air still haunted by the last frosty ghosts of fading winter. And after sunset, the appearance of yet another super moon, full alabaster white this time, bathing everything in silvery tones.

Today was a virtual repeat of yesterday. I arrived home a little earlier than usual and cajoled my son into joining me on my walk. The plum tree perfume was a little heavier than it had been the day before, or perhaps it just seemed so because of the perfectly still air. As we walked along the riverbank, my son prattled on about the various characters in Sonic the Hedgehog. When he had exhausted the topic, we talked for a while about equinoxes and solstices and the eternal war between light and darkness. Out in the fields, the deer were grazing in full force, and we stopped for a moment and counted them.

At the line of poplar trees near the levee, my son paused to rest and noticed the carcass of a rabbit next to the narrow drainage ditch that flows into the river. We looked at the bundle of fur and bone wordlessly for half-a-minute, and then turned away and made our way back to the house. After a few minutes, my little boy was talking about Sonic again, and I listened with all the interest I could muster. As the sun sank behind a stand of black locust trees in the distance, I noted that the light had hung on a little longer than it had the day before. As imperceptible as it had been, it somehow made all the difference in the world.  
2 Comments
S.K. Orr link
3/22/2019 00:50:43

"As the sun sank behind a stand of black locust trees in the distance, I noted that the light had hung on a little longer than it had the day before. As imperceptible as it had been, it somehow made all the difference in the world. "

Right there -- that is a poem, my friend. A direct and penetrating poem. And you're so right. An increase in light, no matter how miniscule, is never insignificant. More light = less darkness.

Reply
Francis Berger
3/22/2019 10:05:36

Thanks, S.K. I don't consider myself much of a poet, but it feels good to hear I may have written something poetic.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Blog and Comments

    Blog posts tend to be spontaneous, unpolished, first draft entries ranging from the insightful and periodically profound to the poorly-argued and occasionally disparaging.
     

    Comments are moderated. Anonymous comments are never published (please use your name or a pseudonym). 

    Emails welcome:

    f er en c ber g er (at) h otm   ail (dot) co m
    Blogs/Sites I Read
    Bruce Charlton's Notions
    Meeting the Masters
    From The Narrow Desert
    No Longer Reading
    ​
    Brief Outlines
    ​Steeple Tea
    Berdyaev.com
    ​
    Synlogos ✞ Aggregator
    New World Island 
    ​Adam Piggott
    Fourth Gospel Blog
    The Orthosphere
    Junior Ganymede

    Archives

    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012

    Picture
    A free PDF is also available in My Work. 
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.