Welcome to where I am, where my kitchen's always messy, a pot's (or a poet) always about to boil over, a dog is always begging to be fed. Drafts of poems on the counter. Windows filled with leaves. Wind. Clouds moving over the mountains. If you like poetry, books, and music--especially dog howls when a siren unwinds down the hill-- you'll like it here.


MY NEW AUTHOR'S SITE, KATHRYNSTRIPLINGBYER.COM, THAT I MYSELF SET UP THROUGH WEEBLY.COM, IS NOW UP. I HAD FUN CREATING THIS SITE AND WOULD RECOMMEND WEEBLY.COM TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN SETTING UP A WEBSITE. I INVITE YOU TO VISIT MY NEW SITE TO KEEP UP WITH EVENTS RELATED TO MY NEW BOOK.


MY NC POET LAUREATE BLOG, MY LAUREATE'S LASSO, WILL REMAIN UP AS AN ARCHIVE OF NC POETS, GRADES K-INFINITY! I INVITE YOU TO VISIT WHEN YOU FEEL THE NEED TO READ SOME GOOD POEMS.

VISIT MY NEW BLOG, MOUNTAIN WOMAN, WHERE YOU WILL FIND UPDATES ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MY KITCHEN, IN THE ENVIRONMENT, IN MY IMAGINATION, IN MY GARDEN, AND AMONG MY MOUNTAIN WOMEN FRIENDS.




Saturday, December 25, 2010

INSIDE CHRISTMAS DAY


An oldish poem that I remembered today while watching our dogs cavort in the snow.


Inside Christmas Day
by Kathryn Stripling Byer

If Dog is Love,
as the bumper stickers say,
then Love is playing in the snow today,
her long nose white
as whipping cream I'll beat
into sweet snow drifts for pumpkin pie
that's cooling on the countertop.
I watch my Dog's shenanigans,
from my place among the pots and pans.
The turkey's sizzling,
green beans simmering,
cinnamon and clove scent
rising from the potpourri
while all around us,
Dog and me,
this Christmas day
hangs, shimmering.


(NC Arts Council website)

9 comments:

Lorenzo — Alchemist's Pillow said...

A shimmering, beautiful Christmas to you and yours, Kathryn, dog shennanigans and all.

Nancy Simpson said...

Good poem! I love this poem. I just read it to my son Tim. He said did you just write that? I said no, Kathryn Stripling wrote it a while back but now might as well be then. Sasha has been out frolicking too. Nugget went on the walk this morning with Jeremy. They seem to have renewed energy today.

Charlotte Holmes said...

You capture the peace and simplicity of a good relationship with one's Dog.

Happy Christmas, dear Kay!

Marcoantonio Arellano (Nene) said...

Thank you, Kathryn. My wife and I appreciated our two minianture poodles, Jules(male)and Jaz(female), in this day of 'festivous'(Seinfeld episode reference). Your soft comforting words of this day are well captured in this piece. Thank you for sharing.

Kathryn Stripling Byer said...

Thank you, Lorenzo. We have snow everywhere. Bitter cold. All the dogs are inside right now. I hope you have a beautiful New Year.

Kathryn Stripling Byer said...

Nancy, our dogs have been energetic, too. Even little Byron, who sinks into the snow when he goes out to do his business. Our big Bro loves this kind of weather, no doubt because he was bred for it--Samoyed, or large part of that breed. Have a lovely day!

Kathryn Stripling Byer said...

Charlotte, I wish I'd been able to make a video of the dogs' response to the snow, especially Poojah's to her first snow years ago.

Kathryn Stripling Byer said...

Marcoantonio, thank you for dropping by! I look forward to visiting your blog. I already like what you say on your "personal" page. Jules and Jaz surely made these special days even more special. We have a small part -Pom named Lord Byron, and even though he is quite old by now, he still prances around when the days are cold and festive. Outside, he sinks into the snow!

Joan Ellen Gage Admin said...

My dog is love, also. She so enjoys snow play and loves to eat it, too.

Loved the poem, I can smell the spices simmering!