Weihnachtszitation

[lorentzen-nicklaus]

* Advent blows from the sea, which at sunset tonight shone green 
and smooth as iron-rich glass: blows daily upon us, all the sky
above pregnant with saints and slender herald's trumpets. Another
year of wedding dresses abondoned in the heart of winter, never 
called for, hanging in quiet satin ranks now, their 
white-crumpled veils begun to yellow, rippling slightly only at your passing, spectator ... visitor to the city at all the dead ends.... Glimpsing in the gowns your own reflection once or 
twice, halfway from shadow, only blurred flesh-colours across 
the peau de soie, urging you in where you can smell the mildew's 
first horrible touch, which was really the idea --- covering all trace of her own smell, middleclass bride-to-be perspiring, genteel soap and powder. But virgin in her heart, in her hopes. None of your bright-Swiss or crystalline season here, but darkly billowed in the day with cloud and the snow falling like gowns in the country, gowns of the winter, gentle at night, a nearly windless breathing around you.... It was a short, cold christmas; and as the short northern day merged into night, we found ourselves almost broad upon the wintry ocean, whose freezing 
spray cased us in ice, as in polished armor. The long rows of teeth on the bulwarks glistened in the moonlight; and like the white ivory tusks of some huge elephant, vast curving icicles depended from the bows. Lank Billy, as pilot, headed the first watch, and ever and anon, as the old craft deep dived into the green seas, and sent the shivering frost all over her, and the winds howled, and the cordage rang, his steady notes were 
heard, ---

"Sweet fields beyond the swelling flood,
Stand dressed in living green.
So to the Jews old Canaan stood,
While Jordan rolled between."

Never did those sweet words sound more sweetly to me than then. They were full of hope and fruition. Spite of this frigid winter night in the boisterous Atlantic, spite of my wet feet and 
weather jacket, there was yet, it seemed to me, many a pleasant 
haven in store ...


Cordial greetings to all you P-listers out there! Kai +