the valley ...
where lovers share memories ~
in the e'er lasting snow ...
O Cool Is The Valley Now
James Joyce
O cool is the valley now
And there, love, will we go
For many a choir is singing now
Where Love did sometime go.
And hear you not the thrushes calling,
Calling us away?
O cool and pleasant is the valley
And there, love, will we stay.
Though the weatherman is predicting spring-like weather this weekend, I am still into winter-scapes. "Valley Memories" is a very interesting piece, and I want to share with you some of what I see. For me, my eye is immediately drawn to the pond, which is an almond shape, much like the shape of an eye; a pond frozen, yet still a reflecting pool, not only mirroring the house, trees and sky, but a bit of the barn as well.
I see the pond as a looking glass, allowing me to reflect upon a family's life: their day to day living; eating, sleeping, laughing, sharing. I see a bit of the barn, and in my mind's eye I think of the hard work this family has performed, and the satisfaction they have from jobs well done.
Within the image are the geese, certainly not reflected in anyway; but there, standing in the foreground - watching, looking, seeing - committed to one another; unafraid, perhaps even satisfied.
And then my eye takes in the entire image. I notice the house and I see what's not there: no shadows - no roofline - no door. Nothing foreboding. Without a door, nothing bad is to enter this place; without a roof, this house can be located anywhere, in any period of time.
Though this is just some of what I see, I cannot help but wonder: what do you see when you reflect upon "Valley Memories" ?
Enjoy the read and James Joyce's words as he calls us to the valley.
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