VOLUME EIGHT

ICE STORM 1998

Journal Entries:

a storm without violence;

storm of silent methodical dead calm persistence...

under dense gray skies

windless whispers of rain enter snow and silently add crystal shields to already overburdened branches

soundtrack from a Civil War battlefield "sharp rifle" like reports every 35 seconds, hour after hour, as victims fail and fall, swishing their way toward snag or snow

pines stand at attention, arms at their sides, wooden soldiers waiting to fall or lean or break

maples suffer shell shock, limbs lost, numb in disbelief

supple birches bend and hide ice laden heads

aspen stand naked, startled, wondering where their branches are.

or why they're fallen down

topless isn't so seductive on a tamarack

gallant old cherries give up limb after limb

a solitary white pine drops arms, carefully avoiding the birdfeeders

spruce and balsam curl their tops and wait

unharmed apple, accuStormed to the weight of fruit, bears the ice with grace

new routines in the almost silent house

soft sounds of woodfire in the stove

using daylight, candlelight, flashlight

hauling water from the spring

carrying wood

enjoying the here, now, the teamwork, the present focus of the days

neighbors stop by, appearing with chainsaws to clear the driveway,

we walk to share with neighbors, to admire the splendors of subzero moonlit ice, to brainstorm solutions for power - dependent houses on our road

we thank the crews who clear the wires, set new poles; they are surprised we care; we're glad we live where people care

digging out the pumphouse

trying to find familiar places in the jackstraw tumble of the pines

well-worn trails quite lost; sunless days disorient, confuse

up on the roof time after time, removing rainheavy snow, new snow

antenna bows to its audience of two, never recovers, awaits evacuation where it had hoped for rescue

melting finally

tissue paper rustle of ice falling from pines into soft snow

rising birch and aspen lifting iceladen tips

fallen pines settling

broken maples budding nonetheless

hauling broken branches to the road

watching spring

after the ice storm

Barbara K. Waters - Onchiota

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Call 518-891-2189

Town of Franklin

P.O. Box 209, Route 3, Vermontville, NY 12989 · Tel: 518-891-2189 · Fax: 518-891-6389 · info@townoffranklin.com

VOLUME EIGHT

ICE STORM 1998

Journal Entries:

a storm without violence;

storm of silent methodical dead calm persistence...

under dense gray skies

windless whispers of rain enter snow and silently add crystal shields to already overburdened branches

soundtrack from a Civil War battlefield "sharp rifle" like reports every 35 seconds, hour after hour, as victims fail and fall, swishing their way toward snag or snow

pines stand at attention, arms at their sides, wooden soldiers waiting to fall or lean or break

maples suffer shell shock, limbs lost, numb in disbelief

supple birches bend and hide ice laden heads

aspen stand naked, startled, wondering where their branches are.

or why they're fallen down

topless isn't so seductive on a tamarack

gallant old cherries give up limb after limb

a solitary white pine drops arms, carefully avoiding the birdfeeders

spruce and balsam curl their tops and wait

unharmed apple, accuStormed to the weight of fruit, bears the ice with grace

new routines in the almost silent house

soft sounds of woodfire in the stove

using daylight, candlelight, flashlight

hauling water from the spring

carrying wood

enjoying the here, now, the teamwork, the present focus of the days

neighbors stop by, appearing with chainsaws to clear the driveway,

we walk to share with neighbors, to admire the splendors of subzero moonlit ice, to brainstorm solutions for power - dependent houses on our road

we thank the crews who clear the wires, set new poles; they are surprised we care; we're glad we live where people care

digging out the pumphouse

trying to find familiar places in the jackstraw tumble of the pines

well-worn trails quite lost; sunless days disorient, confuse

up on the roof time after time, removing rainheavy snow, new snow

antenna bows to its audience of two, never recovers, awaits evacuation where it had hoped for rescue

melting finally

tissue paper rustle of ice falling from pines into soft snow

rising birch and aspen lifting iceladen tips

fallen pines settling

broken maples budding nonetheless

hauling broken branches to the road

watching spring

after the ice storm

Barbara K. Waters - Onchiota

Return to the top

up on the roof time after time, removing rainheavy snow, new snow

rising birch and aspen lifting iceladen tips