1/02/2008

The Snowman

Farshad's snowman in Tehran, January 2, 2007. The note says: "For World Peace In 2008.
Also, look at these gorgeous pictures of snow in Tehran on Fars News Agency.
My morning started opening an email from Farshad in Tehran, holding pictures of this snowman in his backyard. Thanks to Farshad, it was a good start to a day which took me back to work after several days. My sons and I spent a bit of time together this evening. My older son read his new poem to me, which was delightful, but as you may know, as a mother I am not supposed to make a big deal of how good his poetry has become, because it makes him shy and uncomfortable and next time he writes something, he won't share it with me so easily. So, I made only some small supportive noises, though I was filled with pride. That also was a perfect end to this day. I leave you with a Wallace Stevens poem, entitled appropriately, The Snowman. Wallace Stevens was a Pulitzer winner American poet who died over 50 years ago. Listen to this short piece on NPR by Commentator Jay Keyser who says Stevens wrote the best short poem in the English language, and his reasons for this.
The Snowman
One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;

And have been cold a long time

To behold the junipers shagged with ice,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter

Of the January sun; and not to think

Of any misery in the sound of the wind,
In the sound of a few leaves,

Which is the sound of the land

Full of the same wind
That is blowing in the same bare place

For the listener, who listens in the snow,

And, nothing himself, beholds
Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

من و سینا دیروز با هم اولین آدم برفی عمرمان را ساختیم. برای من خیلی جالب بود که در تمام کودکیم هیچ وقت آدم برفی درست نکرده بودم آن هم منی که 6 سال از کودکیم در همدان گذشته ... نمی دانم چرا. بهرحال دیروز اولیش را درست کردم و خیلی مزه داد. البته سینا به این شکل همکاری کرد که صبر کرد من درستش کنم بعد با خوشحالی با یه چوب خرابش کرد!!! خیلی کیف داد... نمی دونم چرا تا حالا درست نکرده بودما!!!؟

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to get home and hear the NPR piece..(my computer at work has no sound...he (I call my computer "Old Alfred") looks like it's 70 years old and has probably also gone deaf because when I talk to him, he doesn't answer me back!

Anyways, the Wallace Stevens poem was nice to read, it perfectly captures the mindset of winter...(and other things..)

Thank you!

midnight/... said...

Nazy joonam, have a great 2008! I was away most of the holidays, away from internet too. But any chance I got I would jump into your weblog. May all your new year's wishes come true. Have a wonderful day, weekend, and year! boos.

Marzieh said...

Have you seen this before nazy joun?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE8yo2oCQWQ

Marzieh said...

تازه فهمیدم راجع به قمر!!!!!!!!!!!!!
خیلی خندیدم....بانمک بود

Nazy said...

Salam Shin Jan:

I'm so happy to see you here again. Aaah, making a snowman with a little boy has got to be one of the funnest things anyone can do in this world! I always say I have had not one, but two extra chances to live a childhood through my children! As you can see, it's never too late! How blessed and lovely. Happy life beautiful and talented Shin-e-azizam.

Nazy said...

Assal Jan:

Just be careful and say only nice things about Alfred, because if he's not deaf and he can hear you, you could get into trouble like I did with my computer recently, where all my documents, music and photographs disappeared and I can't seem to be able to get them back!

Thanks for coming to visit my friend. Yes, it is a good poem, and the commentator says that it is the most perfectly balanced piece of English poetry. Since you are an expert in poetry, perhaps you could share your opinion with us. Be happy azizam.

Nazy said...

Salam Bar Nimehshab-e-Azizam:

I'm so glad you re-surfaced my friend! Though I really missed you, I'm really happy that you managed to get away and relax during the break. No one deserved it more than you. Have a very happy and productive 2008 my friend. My best wishes to M. and Arman, too.

Nazy said...

Marzieh Jan:

I watched that clip. It was very interesting. Who is the woman citing the poem? I thought it was Shohreh Aghdashloo in the beginning, but then wasn't so sure. Thanks for sharing my friend. I'm glad you liked that silly Ghamar story! Be good.

Anonymous said...

سلام نازی جونم
ببخش این چند روز من درگیر مراسم نامزدی دختر عمه بودم و خلاصه نتونستم بیام اینجا
مراسم هم خوب بود جای همگی خالی حیف که دوربین نبرده بودم ...
راستی خیلی ممنونم بخاطر پست کردم این آفای صلح ما !!!
راستی شعر هم خیلی عالی بود
من مشتاق بودم شعر فرزند ارشد رو هم بشنوم ...

مسعود said...

سلام نازی خانم
آغاز شعر خیلی عالیست
شاید بانوی جشنواره زمستان هم به زمستان اینگونه می نگرد.
خیلی ظرافت داشت
سپاس