There's a certain slant of light,
On winter afternoons,
That oppresses, like the weight
Of cathedral tunes.
Heavenly hurt it gives us;
We can find no scar,
But internal difference
Where the meanings are.
None may teach it anything,
'Tis the seal, despair,-
An imperial affliction
Sent us of the air.
When it comes, the landscape listens,
Shadows hold their breath;
When it goes, 't is like the distance
On the look of death.
~ Emily Dickinson
That Emily! I was with her right up to the end of verse one, except for that "oppresses" bit. From then on, it was all downhill. One must be careful of these melancholy poets.
Anyway, I have been noticing that certain slant of light and especially in the mornings around here. There are light patches that never existed before. I've tried to capture them with my trusty camera, but I doubt that it'll look like much. Just believe me that when I first walk into that part of the house, sometimes I stand there simply amazed.
So many of you appreciated #3 in yesterday's list. I am happy to report that my beloved describes it as the best part of his day. Remember when I mentioned that I would be using Miss Sandy's gift as a way to save some of John's quips? Well here's one that you may appreciate.
Me: We don't have a book to read.
He: We've got a bookcase full.
Me: Did you select one already?
He: (Nods)
Me: What?
He: Advanced Engineering
Me: :D
Have a wonderful Friday!
I sit at my computer and to my left their is a beautiful cascade of sun on my wall..Before I came to your blog I was looking at it and thinking how beautiful it was, and than here I come and see this..such a slant of light...((hugs)). going now to share a pic of mine,,lol
ReplyDeleteOk, just finished posting my pic, and linking your blog to the post..((hugs))
ReplyDeleteOh, Vee, your photos are beautiful and should be in a magazine.
ReplyDeleteAdvanced Engineering...I'm thinking Hooke's Law (Stress is proportional to strain) is especially appropriate after decorating three Christmas trees this week. :)
Vee,
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean about the slant of light shining in your home. Every afternoon it hits my bedroom and make the most wonderful shadows on the wall and lights up a carnival glass pitcher I have full of Italian glass flowers. They positively glow! I tried to capture them on camera but i doesn't look the same. It must just be for looking at and not photographing.
I wanted to let you know that I did an update to yesterdays post. I have linked up to a site that is having a Cool Christmas Give Away Day and everyone there is linking up on Mr. Linky and having give aways! Go check out the fun!
Gee, do you think John could have chosen something a bit more romantic than a book on engineering, that sort of blows my image of sonnets being read aloud to one another!
Have a wonderful day.
christmas greetings from sweden in swedish (all fresh just spoken):
ReplyDeletegod jul och gott nytt år!!
Such a lovely lovely post. Before I read your post this morning I was taking photos of our Students of the Week. We had a certain point of light interfering with out photo, causing all of us to squint! However, it did catch the silver on the christmas tree and was so pretty and sparkly!
ReplyDeleteDear Vee, I shall look for the positive slants instead of the negative ones. Thanks for the reminder. The short days and slant of the sun during the winter season affect me greatly. I DO see the loveliness and the sparkle of the new slant, but grow more and more moody during the winter months. Even tho ours is relatively short compared to yours, I long to skip from fall into spring. Maybe I should move to a quaint little Mexican beach town...
ReplyDeleteThere's a certain KIND OF BOOK,
ReplyDeleteOn winter afternoons,
That oppresses, like the weight
Of cathedral tunes.
The book...Advanced Engineering!
I've always liked looking at the slant of the light in the house too. Just the other day I was watching it move across a piece of furniture ever so slowly.
ReplyDeleteThere is a certain quality of winter light. Photographers revel in it. I'm not quite sure why Emily took it to such a dark place. Hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteI love the teacup inside the apothecary jar.
Good luck napping whilst he reads the engineering book.
- Suzanne
I love the winter light too - especially the soft golden light of the early mornings, or late afternoons, and then darkness descends all to quickly! Tomorrow I suggest you offer one of your sewing manuals for reading, as light relief from the engineering!
ReplyDeleteI love that phrase, "a certain slant of light." Yesterday afternoon here was bright and sunny. I sat in the rays in my living room and looked at the shadows and play of light.
ReplyDeleteI need to pay more attention to these things - they fill my life with beauty.
Lorrie
PS: Advanced Engineering! That's likely to put someone to sleep FAST
No light shining in the window today .. but yesterday, while the grands were napping, I ran out to clean my kitchen window, the sun was barely coming through. . funny how it reveals the best and the worst. .
ReplyDeleteenjoy that book, sounds like a real romantic read. .
oh. .and so glad you were able to secure your own nativity for the grands.
Beautiful pictures! Sometimes I just get a thrill (?!?) seeing the way the light lands on things at a particular time of day.
ReplyDeleteI love to look at things in a different slant of light...thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures! The winter light is actually much better in my house as the leaves are all gone and the sun can shine through the branches now.
ReplyDeleteManuela
LOL! You are the best...thanks for the appropriate analysis of the poem!
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed and wonderful day!
smiles, kari & kijsa
Hi Vee
ReplyDeleteYes, Emily could get melancholy at times...a poet's lot in life unless they were Ogden Nash.
I will be blogging about my favorite poet someday soon -- I was recently near the place he lived in Manhattan for many years and took photos.
I also notice the slant of light --especially right before sunset. The house behind mine seem to glow in orange and gold.
Did John read the book "Brunelleschi's Dome"? It is a wonderul read and right up his alley!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Hugs, Pat
Vee,
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful fun weekend..m..
It seems I've been so busy lately and haven't been able to visit blogs as much as I like. I was so excited to return to yours with lots of beautiful posts. I especially love this one! I also love your little nativity set tucked away in the nook. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete