Winter I: When Icicles hang by the wall, and Dick the shepherd blows his nail (2017) by Gail Rodney

It’s 5 degrees in Nashville this morning and there’s not much to recommend it. In times like these one turns to art for consolation. A winter song comes to mind, sent by my friend Jack Barnwell and dreamt up by the Bard some centuries ago…

When icicles hang by the wall,

And Dick the shepherd blows his nail,

And Tom bears logs into the hall,

And milk comes frozen home in pail,

When blood is nipp’d, and ways be foul,

Then nightly sings the staring owl:

‘Tu-who;

Tu-whit, Tu-who’ – A merry note,

While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.

 

When all aloud the wind doth blow,

And coughing drowns the parson’s saw,

And birds sit brooding in the snow,

And Marian’s nose looks red and raw,

When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl,

Then nightly sings the staring owl:

‘Tu-who;

Tu-whit, Tu-who’ – A merry note,

While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.

 

William Shakespeare, Love’s Labours Lost

Winter IV: Tu-whit; Tu-who, a merry note, While greasy Joan doth keel the pot (2017) by Gail Rodney, 2017

Winter III: When blood is nipp’d and ways be foul, Then nightly sings the staring owl (2017) by Gail Rodney

 

Artist: Gail Rodney. More information here.

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Photo copyright Jack Barnwell

 

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