January Panorama

Gold cherry

By marandina

Tue, 09 Jan 2024
  • 1791 reads
24 comments
 

Audio version at: https://soundcloud.com/user-62051685/january-panorama

 

January Panorama

Colours bloom in midnight skies,

incendiary sounds, smouldering,

archaic clock tower, backlit Ben,

verses sung for Auld Lang Syne.

Hands held, thronging river bank,

living paper-chains strung along,

eyes closed singing winter songs,

soulful entreaties for better times.

Dreams of ending armed conflict,

precious grain flows freely for all,

scavenging consigned to the past,

bombs exchanged for fireworks.

Tumult in the East now at an end,

an era of peace settled like snow

on mountain ranges of autocracy

circled by the altruism of doves.

Arms around shoulders, headily,

we navigate rain-sodden streets,

neon reflections in dank puddles,

muffled echoes of bars down alleys.

Hours pass soaked in conversation

fuelled by ale, gin and bonhomie,

later we watch an ambient sunrise,

birdsong ballads on barest boughs.

New Year begins, innocent desire,

resolutions made to change a world

swirling in shafts of nascent sunlight,

hope reborn on a January panorama.

 

Image free to use at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:London,_New_Year_crowds_assemble...

Certificate U
Poem
Miscellaneous Poems
Spiritual

Comments

Submitted by Turlough on

There's a lot of hope in your well thought out words Paul.

I hope the hope comes true.

Good on you!

 

Turlough

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading it, Turlough.

It's wish-fulfillment mingled with lingering lamentation for the recent passing of Shane MacGowan. The man and woman carousing the streets of London is a subliminal nod to SM and Kirsty McColl and the "Fairytale of New York" video even if the settings are on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. At least that's how it is in my head.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Very desxriptive of the night and longings for personal and world peace.

I do love 'birdsong ballads on barest boughs.' ! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks Rhiannon. Glad you like that line. It's a beautiful time of day.

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

A much needed bit of optimism for the New Year, and it's our Facebook and X Pick of the Day. Please do share if you enjoy it too.

Submitted by marandina on

Oh thank you, Jane. We start out as optimists, at least for a while. Hoping the New Year decides to be a good one especially as it has an extra day in it. Women can propose to men, can't they?!

Thanks again for the pick - welcome warmth on a freezing day!

 

Submitted by D G Moody on

If only this can come to be, and maybe the more we express hope, the more chance of it happening. Glad to see this being todays pick.

Dougie Moody

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks, Dougie. That's kind of you. Hoping 2024 is good to you in wonderful Australia (STILL....top of my bucket list. I will get there...one day!)

 

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

I too love, 'birdsong ballads on barest branches'. It's something I've been noticing this week, the birds are celebrating day length. Peace is the greatest thing we can hope for and some sort of rebalancing in our economy. New year's eve truly was rain sodden but I think it was last year too. Global wetting I assume. There is always something for humans to celebrate. Happy 2024 x

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks Jane. Yes, we can gauge approaching spring from the increased volume of birdsong in the mornings. It's a wonderful thing. Happy New Year to you.

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Soggy, now freezing, but still hopeful! A very happy new year to you Marandina and I hope your wishes come true. Congratulations on the golden cherries too!

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks insert. The weather's been rough, hasn't it? It was said on the news last night that next week will be even colder. Bah. In the meantime, holiday bookings have gone through the roof.

Here's to peace in Ukraine, Gaza and everywhere else that there is conflict and suffering.

 

Submitted by Penny4athought on

I enjoyed this poem with it’s revelry on New Year. A NEW YEAR, and I hope it is a ‘New Year’, not a recycled, down trodden, smack some lipstick on it old year...I connected with your poem’s optimism as I believe in the goodness within us. The year 2023 ended with so many flaws that we hope 2024 will smooth out peacefully; so we leap into 2024 with good intentions in our souls. smiley

Happy 2024 Paul

Penny4athought

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading, Penny. Hoping your book does well for you. It deserves to.

In other news, I have even finally started a wip myself. 180 words so far...just another c. 74,820 to go. Happy New Year :)

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Happy 2024, with lots of great writing! This is so visual - I really liked

"Hands held, thronging river bank,

living paper-chains strung along,

eyes closed singing winter songs"

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks Di and for the kind feedback.

Happy New Year to you all and the cats on your beautiful island. Your pics fill me with joy.

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

That's a really kind thing to say! THANKYOU :0)

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

A powerful poem of optimism, set with such honest feelings of Love and Peace. I too hope your wishes come true Paul.

Well deserved pick of the day too.

Jenny. 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Lovely to hear from you Jenny and thanks for reading. If we all hope and demand the same things, they must happen eventually. Let it be so :)

 

Submitted by marandina on

Audio version added at: https://soundcloud.com/user-62051685/january-panorama

 

Submitted by celticman on

hope reborn is always good. Let's hope it finds fertile soil. 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading, as ever, CM. Amen to that.

 

Submitted by Kris on

Drop'n bye, catch'n up, chill'n, enjoy'n the read'n....

& sound cloud fan...     very cool....

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading and listening, Kris. Much appreciated. Paul