The End of an Ice Age

Up here, we see ancient boulders below, left behind in the glacial
surge, scoured and sculpted out of thick waves of frost.
From this height, each mammoth, tumbled stone is a pale, hard berry.

Through the ages, green grows, adapts, and the thorn guards its fruited berry.
From above, we glimpse the shifting age to come, the time beyond glacial.
Maiden ferns and violets will shake themselves under birch trees free of frost.

But we angels above clutch our wings, shield our eyes against the glinting frost.
Up here, it is frigid and we whisper in shivered longing for the ripened berry,
desirous of green, earthy things. We conspire to shatter all that is glacial.

We smash the glacial edge; still, a killing frost remains, turns each berry white.

15 Comments The End of an Ice Age

  1. cynkingfeeling December 17, 2014 at 10:02 pm

    I love how the berries are different each time you use the word.

    Reply
    1. Meg December 18, 2014 at 7:31 pm

      Thanks, Cyn!

      Reply
  2. Silverleaf December 17, 2014 at 11:10 pm

    Oh Meg, this is stunning! Can’t help wondering if it might have been inspired by all your beautiful walks through nature. You should write more of these 🙂

    Reply
    1. Meg December 18, 2014 at 7:37 pm

      Thanks, Silver. You’re too sweet. You know, it was in part inspired by the land around here, which is at the edge of the Wisconsinion (sp?) glacier, which left a lot of boulders and gorges. But also I watched “Wings of Desire” after not having seen it in years. I love the idea of angels being bored and wanting earth. (Obviously, I don’t think of angels in the same way that most people do,)

      Reply
  3. Jennifer G. Knoblock December 18, 2014 at 8:25 am

    “whisper in shivered longing”
    beautiful!

    Reply
    1. Meg December 18, 2014 at 7:38 pm

      Jennifer! Thanks so much for reading and commenting. Glad you liked that little phrase.

      Reply
  4. MamaMickTerry December 18, 2014 at 10:14 am

    What a magical combination of words and phrases. This is printable and will be making a new home on my “inspiration board.”
    I miss you, lady…sorry for my extended absence. xoxo

    Reply
    1. Meg December 18, 2014 at 7:41 pm

      Oh, I misssssssyouuuuu. So nice to see your name. Did you get through November writing? I haven’t been getting any of your blog emails. Thanks for reading and commenting. No apologies needed for absence — I’m in the same boat. Can’t get caught up! And we don’t need to apologize to each other — that’s the only rule. I’m honored to make it to your inspiration board! Love to you.

      Reply
      1. MamaMickTerry December 18, 2014 at 11:54 pm

        Bahaha! You haven’t been getting any bloggy emails cuz I haven’t really been blogging 🙂
        Just got back from vacation and ready to edit what I wrote in November!! I’ll keep you posted 🙂 xoxox

        Reply
  5. Asha December 18, 2014 at 10:22 am

    I love the comparison of the boulders to pale, hard berries. You have such a connection with nature, and clearly a passion for it too. And this tritina is beautiful.

    Reply
  6. Christine December 18, 2014 at 1:19 pm

    Gorgeous, Meg!

    Reply
    1. Meg January 8, 2015 at 12:04 am

      Thanks, Christine! xoxo

      Reply
  7. Sally Ember, Ed.D. December 18, 2014 at 5:19 pm

    I like your use of language but the meaning of this eluded me. I must not be tuned in. Who are the angels? How is that “we” formulated? Why do angels want to smash “all that is glacial”?

    Reply
  8. inNateJames December 18, 2014 at 9:26 pm

    I’m reading and rereading trying to figure out how you managed to write such a grounded and detailed poem that plays with scale on such extreme scales without actually ever landing on earth.

    Reply
    1. Meg January 8, 2015 at 12:05 am

      I love how you put this, Nate…like I was doing something intentional. 😉 Thank you, my friend.

      Reply

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