Monday, January 2, 2017

THE EDGE OF ICE


The jutting edge of ice, undercut by last week’s melt water, is once more frozen brittle-hard. And ah, the silly joy of wrecking it.

I step, as on a tightrope, along the frozen filigree, and the sonorous, crackling notes, distilled in cold, dense air, belie its delicacy.

Is it just the challenge of finding winter’s upside, or are these fancies of foot not more satisfying than other seasons’ softer sounds of puddle splash or rustling leaves?

I thank Creation for the objects of such pure, simple play…and for such innocence of soul to be moved by them.


4 comments:

jean said...

I can just hear that sound right now and smell the cold air!
Gonna be happening here really soon!

Jeffrey Willius said...

Bet you can hardly wait, Jean ;-)
Minus 11F at our house this morning -- cracking those ice overhangs today will sound like breaking glass!

Anonymous said...

Dear Jeffrey, this simple brief post touched my heart in such a poignant way. I think the biggest feeling was that YOU--someone I respect and who I've turned to for inspiration---ALSO walk "the edge".....of ice, yes, but also in many other creative, inspiring, and free thinking areas of life. I am 63 and to this day I cannot just irreverently, with a too-grown-up, blase' air walk past an edge of ice while its alluring "crunch" invites my feet closer, compelling me to "crunch". By the way, I love the literal definition of the word blase': "...indifferent to or bored with life; unimpressed." For me, an edge of ice is anything but unimpressive or boring. I always feel shocked and horribly let down when someone on a hiking trail, walking right in front of me walks the edge first and DOES NOT EVEN KNOW THEY ARE DOING IT. They don't even appreciate it and are oblivious to the joy of "edge crunching"! It is just another step for them. For me that is beyond shocking!!! Its sacrilegious. Lol :) The sound of it is SOOOO delicious, so dry and crunchy and, as you say, like breaking glass. Oh!! Jeffrey I have done this since I was 3 years old. We used to walk to school all through the grades and even high school and we would have to take turns crunching the edge. We fought over it, we ran ahead to get to the new ice and be first. I STILL run to be first. You are a refreshingly magical being. Those who crunch ice, walk the beautiful edges of life, and stay forever young. Thank you for making my day more joyous, my dear friend. I so appreciate it and you!!! Stay warm, my brother cruncher!! Hugs to you. Robin Easton

Jeffrey Willius said...

Robin -- though we've never met in person, I feel as if we know each other pretty well. Just so many things -- at least about our relationship with Nature -- we have in common. Many thanks for always taking the time to let me know when I've struck a chord -- even if it's only in the key of crunch.

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