"The First Tree" by Kimmy Van Kooten
Copyright 2000
Hope this doesn't stir another "ballad war" :) My first attempt...constructive critisism desired on this night in Florida amid
"The Ballad of a Winter Damned"
"Make these chilled winter winds pass me I’ve seen the damn beyond my pane" "And the live oaks they shiver, their bark trembles my deign!"
"Please, give the currents a voice Awake! This sleep-seasoned phase The sun seeks to warm the heartless leaves craze"
"Look, look, the Almighty air seizes the cold pants and flinches! " "Ay, Will it expire all life clung to its winches?"
"Yea, golden with highlights The Fall’s reminisce It’s leaving across, as the bare maples hiss! "
"In blending with Jasmine’s anew the bright yellows trumpets, A price of will paid leaving, toward flowers of strumpets!"
"So, if the tall pines in shedding, as it needles and hones, with the red berries of Holly nestling in gathers , the air groans?"
"Here me, this eve blows in the garden, and in sight, sways azaleas When the chimes ring above, an air hopes to obtain us!"
"Lo! Petals are falling Arose in the wind!" "Yea, the damn near freezes as nature abscinds!"
Copyright February 2007 Kimmy Van Kooten
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Reviews of "The Ballad of a Winter Damned"
Reviewed by Tamara Perlin (Reader)
Reviewed on February 24, 2007
The work of a writer with experience, unique creativity, and a knack for painting pictures with words. Your words, seem effortless. Wonderful write, Kimmy! Love, Mara
Your thoughts reflect many views of the harsh and bitter cold than can encase even the breath of life from not only Nature but the life of the wild, the sight of your painting to me holds small views of horses, cattle, and wolves, birds and many others and yet the tress stands and waits through the freeze for it knows .....spring and summer will arrive....soon...
a very nice work and a nice painting to reflect upon...enjoyed this work of yours...nice.....Art Sun...
You know, I totally love your artwork, Kimmy: so clear and resonant with strong and bold strokes. And my mind does funny things with your poetry... As with another of your linguistic-rich writes, I tend to "see" something entirely different as I let your words, many of which I confess to not entirely understanding, wash over me. With this one I am aboard an old sailing vessel in a gale, the timbers listing and heaving and the Bosun and Captain barking out orders to a frantic and wave-tossed-and-washed crew... Weird or what? Maybe that's what this First Tree was later translated into... the hull of a mighty ship, lost upon dark waters... Anyways, a perhaps different response, so hope you find it interesting! LOL K xx
A lovely painting, and a beautiful poem to reflect its naked vulnerability to the winter season.
Reviewed by J M (Reader)
Reviewed on February 18, 2007
I loved the art work and if you are not use to Winter you would feel damned I grew up with it so nothing different either too cold or not cold enough. But the East received about our Normal... This year. Thank The Global Warming. I cannot grow oranges here:).
Wonderful work Kimmy!!
Blessings
joselyn
a double delight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
fantastic art and poetry
loved this!!!!!!!!!!1
:)
pax A
Reviewed by Flying Fox Ted L Glines (Reader)
Reviewed on February 17, 2007
I love this picture, Kimmy (will add it to your Webpage if that's okay). Nope, no ballad-war. I love the garden images and can almost smell the jasmine. The only critique I might offer is that the drama of the picture tends to overcome the poem (I kept wanting to go back to the picture). Very well done, Kimmy!
Beautiful piece, even it does make me shiver. And that is a beautiful picture.
You do not want to travel north right now. Where I live we did not get the same amount of snow that they got further north but on top of the snow we got came sleet and freezing rain. It is hard and slippry and the temps are single digits with a wind chill factor that goes belowl
The proverbial apple stands out in this abstract art of yours, Me thinks I see a worm in it. Your talent is magnified not only in words but with the brush. Well done.
Reviewed by ~ Holly Harbridge (Reader)
Reviewed on February 17, 2007
A superb poem Kimmy, it's just too short,(KIDDING) lOVE YOU, HOLLY
These verses open a passage into spring's airy glade lined by red alders and salmonberries dancing in sunlight. Even our footsteps signal a difference. Melt water from the glaciers form a kettlepond, a perfect circle, THE BALLAD OF A WINTER DAMNED has a hole in the doughnut appearance, the spring thaw! Has an Appalachia rhythm to it, Kimmy, seasonal rebirth of the woodlands...what Eve said to Adam..."I'll throw an apple-at-cha!"
Sage
P.S. You changed this picture after my review. I see the apple with a bite out of it, the snake wrapped around the tree, a whale/dolphin rising out of the water...I am glad that I could be of some inspiration to you, Kimmy. I will study the picture some more to see what else hits my eye in this camouflage art...Well done!
A book of nature inspired poems and essays, written from the heart and soul of a life-long nature, animal, and wilderness lover, and dedicated to today’s children - Earth's only hope for a better tomorrow.
This book won 'The Poetry Category'
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Chrissy
and your written word. I will have to read
some of your short stories also.
a very nice work and a nice painting to reflect upon...enjoyed this work of yours...nice.....Art Sun...
Wonderful work Kimmy!!
Blessings
joselyn
Winter always has the last say when it comes to 'nipping in the bud'
Regards
Dai
i can feel your words.
Thanks
Chrissy
fantastic art and poetry
loved this!!!!!!!!!!1
:)
pax A
Ted
Blessings,
Joyce Bowling
You do not want to travel north right now. Where I live we did not get the same amount of snow that they got further north but on top of the snow we got came sleet and freezing rain. It is hard and slippry and the temps are single digits with a wind chill factor that goes belowl
Coooooold!,
God Bless,
Lew
love and peace, Carole
(((HUGS))) and love, Karla.
(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tx., Karen Lynn. :D
Well done!!
love Tinka
An inspiring, striking imagination and beauty... This composition is rich in contents and rhythm; imagery and sounds.
I salute You, Poet.
Andre Emmanuel Bendavi ben-YEHU
George
The closest i've come to winter, its a bright warm spring day here..
Love the mix in this..
Georg
Sage
P.S. You changed this picture after my review. I see the apple with a bite out of it, the snake wrapped around the tree, a whale/dolphin rising out of the water...I am glad that I could be of some inspiration to you, Kimmy. I will study the picture some more to see what else hits my eye in this camouflage art...Well done!