Like a celestial locomotive, the rising sun
Careens along the eastern horizon,
Drawing up at the far northern terminal.
Here, shedding sparks and breathing fire,
It stands, surrounded by dark clouds of smoke.
Summer's here!
All aboard for the return trip south--
Passing through Autumn
And straight on to Winter at the other end.
Have your tickets ready, please ...
Miss Yves translates:
Céleste locomotive, le soleil levant
S'agite, sur la ligne d'horizon à l'est
Tirant un trait jusqu'au lointain arrêt au nord
Là, jetant des étincelles, crachant le feu
Il se tient au milieu des scories de nuages
Embarquement pour le retour vers le sud
Traversant l'automne
Droit sur l'hiver à l'autre extrémité
Vos tickets,*s'iou plait!
(Popular form for "s'il vous plaît)
Full disclosure: the sequence below was taken yesterday morning around 6:30 -- almost solstice. If I get a good sunrise this morning, I'll put it in the header. (And now I have.)
26 comments:
Solstice blessings to you and yours, Vicki! Beautiful photos.
Spectacular as ever, Vicki. These shots are so worth waiting for.
I always love the pictures of your distant mountain views (from the bedroom window, right?). What a wonderful way to start a Monday morning!
I too have posted on the solstice. I knew that there'd be many wonderful posts and photos such as yours, which I'd never be able to achieve, so I've been having a bit of fun instead.
These shots -- including the new header, just added (The true solstice shot) were taken from the far southern end of our front porch. From our bedroom, the summer solstice sunrise is hidden by trees.
Happy solstice, all!
happy solstice...its all down hill from here...smiles. great shots!
Wow. These are great shots. I loved the one on your header. Very beautiful!
Breath taking!
Happy solstice to you.
I love the header. What a glorious morning.
Stunning photos. I watched the sun go down last night, it was lovely. I can't help feeling like Brian, it's all downhill from here. Time to enjoy the daylight while it lasts. Thanks for sharing your lovely pictures.
Your celestial locomotive is gorgeous!! Happy Solstice!
Happy Summer Solstice! Love the photos!
Outstanding new header!!!
Actually, Brian and Mel, as hot as it is today, sliding down to Winter has a certain appeal...
Vicki, these are the most beautiful photos. I'll have to send my readers here to see this.
You write great books but your photos are phenomenal, too.
As for me, I feel like we've had summer for the past two months. I'm ready for fall.
Great shots !
Summer at last !
Are you the author of the two poems ?
Thank you, Glenda!
Mais oui, Miss Yves! It's one poem with two stanzas.
Wonderful!
I'll take again my pen!
I envy you these big skies - in my urban area you hardly see the sky, certainly not big swathes of beautiful colour like this. Lovely.
I've some trouble to tanslate the verv "to careen"
Céleste locomotive, le soleil levant/
S'agite, sur la ligne d'horizon à l'est/
Tirant un trait jusqu'au lointain arrêt au nord/
Là, jetant des étincelles, crachant le feu/
Il se tient au milieu des scories de nuages/
..................................
I'm not sure of the meaning of the second verse:
"the return trip south "puzzles me...
Miss Yves -- the second part of the poem -- in italics -- is the voice of the conductor calling passengers to board the train for the trip back the other way. The sun has run from south to north, now it returns to the southern end of the horizon.
I had understood that the voice was that of the conductor , and the subject the movement of the sun...But curiously, the words suggest to me a trip from South to north, because of "passing"?=having passed?
I fear that my text says the contrary of you write:
Voici l'été!
Embarquement pour le retour vers le sud
Traversant l'automne
Droit sur l'hiver à l'autre extrémité
Vos tickets,*s'iou plait!
(Popular form for "s'il vous plaît)
Please, don't publish it if it's wrong, I'll try again to arrange my text.
I think (and my knowledge of French is very small) that you have translated my words correctly. The sun has reached the summer solstice at the end of its journey north and now returns toward the south. On its way to winter it will pass through Autumn, as a train passes through a town on its way to the ultimate destination.
Thank you, Vicki Lane!
English is so concise!
Si elliptique !
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