Death Grip

A poem about Winter. Or is it?

The body swept over the falls.

Blank eyes stared up at the trees,

Stark branches scraping at the winter sky,

And the death that comes with the freeze.

Dead bodies were nothing new to the river,

They floated on her from time to time,

Passed through the pool with nary a shiver,

Of black water or surrounding frost rime.

But the river knew this body was different,

It brought with it the first winter chill,

It would stifle the falls' constant thunder,

The river's waters would solidify and still.

The corpse's rigid passivity,

Would be passed to the river soon,

Life would bleed from the surrounding land,

The river would die beneath the winter moon.

But it would only be a small death,

The river would be resurrected in the Spring,

The trees would leaf, the flowers would bloom,

Winter would lose its sting.

And as the falls resume their thunder,

And the river rejoices again to be free,

The first body slides into the river,

And makes its way to the sea.

Life goes on, so does death,

As the seasons roll around,

All things are temporary, as is Winter's grip,

The only permanence is found in the ground.

© 2017 The Iron Horseman

Reviews

[Poetic License]

O.
M.
G.

Seriously!!!! That is absolutely, utterly and impossibly awesome. I had goodbumps from the first words. Good grief! I could see the water moving and slowing and freezing - no way was I getting in it - I didn't want to be another body headed downstream.

You're talent is mind blowing. I absolutely love how matter of factly you wrote this. This truly is just a cycle for the world. It doesn't matter how many body it carries, the river just runs and runs. No thought to who it was, what life they lived, the ones they leave behind...nothing. It is cold and it will freeze and it will thaw and it will run.

I don't have enough things to say just how much I enjoyed reading this - every, single one of the 5 times I read it!

KUDOS!

[The Iron Horseman]

Thank you so much,PL. Your reviews mean the world to me because I am in such awe of your talent. If I can be half as good as you I will be happy!

[Poetic License]

Snarf - oh whatever! You've talents all your own - and yours are soooo good that I'm not sharing mine. LOL! NO, truly, my friend. You are a master of the dark and forlorn. You capture not only my attention, but my imagination. (A terrifying combination, by the way!) I think I might get a little giddy when I see new writing pop up from you - never any telling where the words will lead, but I know I don't want to miss a single one.

[The Iron Horseman]

Go on, share, just a bit! :D

[Poetic License]

Creep - go get your own words. Mine. Mine. Mine. ;-)

[The Iron Horseman]

I liked 'Finding Nemo' too! :)
Didn't know you were a seagull, though! lol.

[Poetic License]

LMAO! Okay, okay, okay. I'm giving that one to you, fair and square. You got me!!!! Better put it on your calendar IH!!!!

[The Iron Horseman]

It's there - in bright red marker!

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

Thank you for this very original interesting poem thanks for entering my competition

[The Iron Horseman]

Thank you for reading it!
And you are very welcome, my pleasure.

[BBP]

This was a beautiful eerie. Really enjoyed this read. I could see the old timer gangsters walking along the river, the dead winter bringing a calm to the whole scene.

[The Iron Horseman]

I'm glad you liked it, BBP. I'm also glad that winter is almost over!

[Maxwell Ryder]

Made me think of that movie with DiCaprio, set in those early days of trapping and the first peoples.

[The Iron Horseman]

Ah The Revenant! Yes, that was pretty bleak, wasn't it?

[Maxwell Ryder]

Very. But very good - like this poem.

[The Iron Horseman]

Agreed, and thank you for that!

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

The cycle of life...and death. We mourn it. Nature accepts it. Nature is confident in her re-birth. Are we? Beautiful, contemplative poem with vivid, elemental imagery and a theme that provokes thought. Kudos!

[The Iron Horseman]

Thank you, Annette. I am glad you enjoyed it.

[Paul Bell]

Great write. Nature in its way is gripping. Life and death, so interwoven, cruel but also beautiful.
Everything gets its chance to bloom, even if it is for a short time.