By Pattiann Rogers
If we could be taken alone together in a driverless
Sleigh pulled by horses with blinders over the endless
Uninhabited acres of snow; if the particles
Of our transgression could be left behind us
Scattered across the woodlands and frozen lakes
Like pieces of light scattered over the flashing snow;
If the initiation and accomplishment of our act
In that sleigh could be separated by miles
Of forest--the careful parting begun
Under the ice-covered cedars, the widening and the entering
Accomplished in swirls of frost racing along the hills,
The removal and revelation coming beside the seesaw shifting
Of grassheads rustling in the snowy ditches; all the elements
Of our interaction left in a thousand different places--
Thigh against thigh with the drowsy owlets in the trees
Overhead, your face caught for an instant above mine
In one eye of the snow hare;
If the horses could go fast enough across the ice
So that no one would ever be able to say, "Sin
Was committed here," our sin being as diffuse
As broken bells sounding in molecules of ringing
Clear across the countryside;
And under the blanket beside you in the sleigh
If I could watch the night above the flying heads
Of the horses, if I could see our love exploded
Like stars cast in a black sky over the glassy plains
So that nothing, not even the mind of an angel,
Could ever reassemble that deed;
Well, I would go with you right now,
Dearest, immediately, while the horses
Are still biting and strapping in their reins.
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I have been in Delaware and Pennsylvania's Brandywine Valley all day with my family and Dementordelta seeing ships and art and flowers and having a generally fabulous time! We started at the Kalmar Nyckel's winter berth on the Christina River, then had lunch at the Brandywine River Museum and visited the annual train show, ornament critter sale, and exhibits. Then we went to Longwood Gardens, where we walked around the nearly deserted outdoor gardens while it was still light out before going to the conservatory to see the holiday flower displays. We had dinner in the cafe there -- lots of vegetarian options including terrific chili and mac & cheese -- and toured the lit trees outdoors before going back to the ballroom for a klezmer concert by the Chopped Liver River Band.
Delaware's tall ship Kalmar Nyckel is under restoration during the winter.
We saw lots of handmade natural ornament critters at the Brandywine River Museum...
...plus the annual train show...
...and this very entertaining Scoville exhibit.
While we were in the museum, carolers were performing songs that could be heard in most of the galleries.
It was quite cold in the outdoor flower beds, woods, and treehouses at Longwood Gardens...
...but warm and fragrant in the conservatory, decorated for Christmas.
There wasn't much by way of Chanukah decorations but we got to hear "Hava Nagila," "Sunrise, Sunset," "Adon Olam," and some Ladino music.
We were listening to the Ravens-Steelers game as we drove past the stadium in Baltimore...unfortunately Pittsburgh is going to win, but I can't even complain that the Redskins blew it earlier since I want the Giants to win that division, and I don't understand why the Terps are disappointed to be playing in the Military Bowl -- they'll raise money for the USO and have home field advantage at RFK.
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