Wednesday 17 February 2010

What I Caught In My Heart Today.



All day the cold clear air has filled the house,
our heads,
as though making room for Spring.

A week of no school has brought an ebb and flow of quietude and bustle.


There is a new sense to the air,
a clean, rousing freshness,
an expectancy that somehow stirs the deep Winter sleep in us.

And so a child who hovers somewhere between,
almost grown but not quite,
espies a tiny doorway and escapes with her lifelong friend
down the rabbit hole of yesteryear,
discovering treasures that bring squeals of delight and remembering.



And there they find they remember how to play,
how to let themselves be taken away to another world
recalling trials and tribulations,
and laughter holds them there,
forgetting to be cool and wise and self-conscious.


And so the game moves on, away, forgotten, transformed into something else
carried away I believe is the saying,
and two little boys creep in, 
entranced and shy and unsure what these are,
these wondrous creatures with pretty clothes and pretty faces.



But soon the room becomes quiet, 
deserted by the rabble, 
projects abandoned, doors flung open,
and I find myself alone.



In the warmth of my kitchen I stand and listen to the deep silences.
That strange fullness of quiet that fills and slowly expands the air,
until it feels like a presence, a familiar.

Somewhere in the house a door bangs,
and screams and laughter echo down the hall,
footsteps running away.


And I watch through my window,
through prisms of bright light as these children break out of the depths 
of their Winter swaddling,
pushing their way out into the sun.

~*~

There was dancing too, amidst the ebb and flow,
take a peek over at ~Carnival~
to see what we've been listening to!

27 comments:

0rangey said...

Why no school?

Spring is ever puddle-wonderful.

Unknown said...

Gorgeous!

nancy said...

i love your wordweaving. it's such a warm blanket on a cold day. and i could smell Spring in the air, too, today, even though it was snowing for a bit. love the old dolls, love the tiger masks, love the peaceful landscapes. love love love the light of a milkmoon. :)

Janie B said...

Beautiful thoughts.

Crystal said...

What a wonderful post. I love the photo of the boys and the dolls. Thanks for sharing.

mimi charmante said...

There is something about your photography that totally captures me.
*hug*

Gigi Thibodeau said...

Oh, this is lovely, Ciara. You have a way of capturing the essence of a moment through words and pictures that just steals my heart. xo

P.S. My verification word is "shine." That seems just right for this post.

Windthicket Fables said...

This is beautiful. How fun.

Anonymous said...

wonderful wordry, Ciara. and that sky photo sent me soaring. you all waking up from your winter slumber and we are preparing to sleep...what funny circles

Ciara Brehony said...

Oh, thank you all for your sweet words!

Marie. we have mid-term break. A week off half-way between Christmas and Easter. It always, always comes just when you need it!

Martin said...

Pure poetry Ciara. Lovely images too.

Formerly known as Frau said...

love it! Enjoy the rest of your week with the noise and laughter.

Mise said...

A week off school - you lucky thing. We only have two days. My Sindys came down from the attic lately and were ever so well received, not least by me. Seeing things like the little books I'd made for them made me remember how important and intricate everything was when we were young.

Andrew Judge said...

Lovely post. Really captures a fun afternoon.

Teacosy said...

all those Barbbiedolls I still have those in our attic from our girls. Some day they will see the light again.
Nice side you`ve got.
regards Sylvia

Jo said...

aw, lovely, Ciara.

Jenn @ My Not So Glamorous Life said...

Absolutely gorgeous! Your blog is fast becoming one of my favorite reads :)

Chris Judge said...

Brilliant Ciara, totally captures a lovely day.

Jayne said...

This is such a lovely post, your words are really heart-warming and heart-tugging at the same time. :)

Are those little Pippa dolls? I am sure she was called Pippa, although in my world she had my name and fearlessly conquered the back garden.

Pandorah's Box said...

Sounds like a wonderful day of remembering.

Spring will be here soon!

Karlette said...

the beautifulness in simplicity :o)

Love your blog.

Karlette
http://keeda007.blogspot.com

Mimi said...

Your pictures and your words have a beautiful serenity about them.

Rebecca S. said...

I love it when my 13 year old daughter remembers how to be a child once more. Her 8 year old sister is always trying to pull her back down the 'rabbit hole' with lessening success as time goes on. But every once in a while, especially on holidays when schoolday shells are shed, she surrenders and finds, surprised, that she enjoys it!

Anonymous said...

A dead giveaway for the arrival of Spring are the freshly ploughed fields which always heralds the arrival dirty kitchen floors and mucky boots by the door....oh yeah and those rosy coloured cheeks as they run from the cold to warm themselves by the fire...."Don't tell me you forgot to take off your wellies!!!!"...

Ellen said...

You made me long for children in my house...so quiet now without the playful glee, of those doors opening and closing...asking for help...what a lovely day...

One Woman's Thoughts said...

Lovely poem. Brought back memories of children playing. Loved the picture of the boys playing with the dolls, totally unexpected and fun.

Cafe Pasadena said...

Your Irish sky pic looks similar to many of our skies here in Southern California.