a moment of beautiful – ice in the ditch
the space: a ditch along the road
the beautiful: a skim of new ice
~
When nights are icy cold after a day of spring warmth, water freezes in the ditches. Ephemeral, this skim of new ice will be gone as soon as the morning sun overtops the trees.
The ice is frail, but if you are careful, you can lift a pane of this natural glass and see the world through a different window.
~
~
ditch ice
~
on the last sub-zero night in March
we forge swords and slivers
cast a lens, a barrier to warm
~
below ditch ice are sinuous
arrangements of water and breath
nostrils grope for airways
peer through frozen skim
as though through windows
learn the underside of pane
~
~
© Jane Tims 2012
nichepoetryandprose 
Wonderful imagery in your poem, Jane. The ice is very beautiful with its “swords and slivers.”
LikeLike
Robin
April 11, 2012 at 11:14 am
Hi Robin. Thanks. I appreciate your comment. The cold weather and its patches of ice seem to have gone. I am finally seeing wildflowers here… patches of Coltsfoot yesterday! Jane
LikeLike
jane tims
April 12, 2012 at 7:18 am
I love your take on ice here, really wonderful how art/images can inspire.
LikeLike
dfb
April 8, 2012 at 5:45 am
Hi. Where do words come from? The form of the ice suggested the swords and window glass. The window pane idea comes from years of lifting ice to see through. Lots of fun to put all the ideas together. Jane
LikeLike
jane tims
April 8, 2012 at 7:42 am
Great eye Jane. And the poem is excellent as always. I like the use of words in this one.
LikeLike
JD
April 7, 2012 at 7:42 pm
Hi. I rewrote the last word several times… pane or pain… Thanks for your support. Jane
LikeLike
jane tims
April 8, 2012 at 7:43 am
I loved the poem, such nice imagery in your words, duplicated in the photo!
LikeLike
weedimageoftheday
April 7, 2012 at 3:55 pm
Hi. Thanks! jane
LikeLike
jane tims
April 8, 2012 at 7:37 am