One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today. ~ Dale Carnegie, American writer, lecturer, and more.
Shivering beneath this coat of snow
Snow that unexpectedly trickled down
Down to the ground below
Below ground, my root system sleeps
Sleeps while Winter whitens the landscape
Landscape that one day will become green
Green when Spring comes back again
Again my red blooms will brighten the yard
Yard that needs something so brilliant
Brilliant, isn’t it, how cyclical Nature is!
Note: This poetry form is called Chain Verse.
Musings by an ND Domer's Mom 
You captured winter well. After all, how plants survive winter is interesting. It’s their version of hibernation.
Maybe we humans should take a lesson from that and do something like hibernating, too? I don’t mean completely sleeping away our entire Winter, but maybe holing up close to home and not placing unreasonable demands on ourselves or others.
Debbie, I love the Dale Carnegie quote you shared at the start of this post. It reminded me of several books of his I’ve read, years and years ago.
And WOW, I can’t believe you’ve gotten snow already!? Beautiful photo, by the way.
Well done on the chain verse!
Have a great weekend, my friend!
P.S. Please send some of that white stuff my way because it’s been feeling more like spring here, rather than fall/winter. X
I love Dale Carnegie, too! His books share a lot of wisdom. No, we don’t have snow right now. This was a rather unexpected, yet measurable, inch and a half to two inches that fell in early November. I’m just now getting around to writing a poem to accompany one of the pictures I took then! In fact, we’re not really expected to have more snow in the foreseeable future (and we’re told that typically, this area doesn’t see a White Christmas). But you can be sure that if we get any, I’m going to send it to you, ha! xx
I’ve never heard of a chain verse; it’s an interesting form. Even more interesting is your snow-bedecked rose. I can’t believe you’ve had snow already! We are getting some fall color at last, but it’s going to be short-lived, since the wind is un-bedecking the trees! I keep telling myself that December is here, and Christmas is coming, but I haven’t quite persuaded myself yet. I’d better get at it!
As I told Ron (above), we got this snow in early November. I’m not sure the forecasters were expecting anything measurable, but there it is. It was quite pretty, actually, though I’m not a big fan of snow — especially on my rose bushes, ha! When Domer was home over Thanksgiving, we decorated the inside and outside for Christmas, so I’ve been getting in the mood for the holidays. Sorry about your trees — winds did the same to ours. Sigh.
I enjoy both poems this morning!
As I was reading the poem that you wrote, I noticed that each line ended with a word that the same word began the next line. I told Yorkie how clever, smart, and creative you are Debbie. I like that you include the name of the type of poem this is. You are truly talented! Your post is a beautiful start to this December day.
What a lovely thing to say, TD — thank you! I’m fairly comfortable writing Limericks and Haiku, but Chain Verse is a new one. Every so often, I like to challenge myself to try a different poetry form. I appreciate your letting me know it worked for you!
I am amazed at the seasons and do love your poem. Chain verse is new to me. Thanks for teaching.
Thank you, John. I don’t recall studying Chain Verse in school, but I kind of thought it looked challenging. I’m pleased to learn it hit the mark!
It did. 😁
Nicely done, Debbie!
Thanks so much, Eliza — it started as a ballad, but I couldn’t seem to get the meter and rhyme right, ha!
Lovely poem, Debbie – I especially like that form, The emphasis of the word ending and starting a line is really effective! No snow here yet, but I haven’t given up hope of a white Christmas!
I’m so glad you liked it! All that snow has melted now, and we don’t have any more predicted for a little while. Two weeks to Christmas, though, so there’s still hope for a white one. And then the nasty mess can go away so I can concentrate on daffodils and tulips!
Brilliant indeed! And I so love the cycle of the seasons. I am glad I live in a place where each season is so well defined.
Me, too, Laurie! I’ve lived where there isn’t the delineation of four seasons, and one really misses it. Of course, we all complain when one season lingers “too long,” but better that than being stuck in that season forever.
What a fun form of poetry! I need to try doing that.
The rose is beautiful enough, but the touch of snow on it makes it even more so.
You’re so right! That “touch of snow” is kind of shocking. We expect to see roses bloom in summertime, when there’s no snow.
So true! And I loved that poem.
I’m so happy you liked it, Ann — thanks for telling me!
It is definitely brilliant how cyclical nature is. What a lovely poem, Debbie! The red rose in the snow is beautiful, suggesting a classic Christmas color combination. Lately the seasons seem to be overlapping more than they used to. We might get our first bit of snow tomorrow, just a coating down here on the coast.
I rather enjoy just a coating! It’s so much easier to get around in than when Mother Nature dumps several feet … along with some nasty ice!
Lovely poem and quote at the beginning was a good reminder to all of us to slow down and savor each moment in all of the seasons of life.
Yes, ma’am. We can’t control the weather (as any Midwesterner knows!), but we can enjoy its beauty.