On the Northern Shore by Chipka
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Description
Coiled like an asp in a honey-maiden’s basket
Eyes: smoldering fagots
Lips: whipping scars or pomegranates, bleeding
Breath: a lie or a promise, stolen…
…from his flesh, like honey in moonlight.
Frozen
—Hieronymus/Songs of Lust and Temperance
***
The northern shores of Entis are (collectively) the offspring of promise and denial: a soft brutality whispering cunning seductions into the ears of city-men, warriors, and mothers fearful of what fates might challenge or despoil their sons or their daughters. The northern shores of Entis offer a fisherman’s bounty in the gray days of spring, when winter’s ices melt and flow (with debris from swollen upland rivers) into the shallow, churning seas.
Winter along the northern shores of Entis, is a hard promise: spring locked in wind-dirtied ice and held captive until the first hint of warmth churns mud from the ice. Snow falls in fitful gusts as fishermen hunker in their shacks, mending their nets and praying to the sea-gods, the wind-gods, and any god in between for favor in the cold months and favor when warmth comes.
The northern shores of Entis are a moonscape nightmare in winter: bleak and nightmarish with shapes fit only for eyes closed in slumber. There are those who say that demons are responsible for the rounded, bulbous shapes of ice and snow, compacted. There are those, poets, who find inspiration in the land and sea-shore, distorted beyond recognition; they follow the example of ancient and dead Hieronymus—mummified (now) at the bottom of his tomb in Vestra. His words are a part of the northern shores of Entis, and no man, no woman may escape them upon sight of the snow, the ice, and the churning sea frozen only at its rim.
***
I took this photograph on an outing with Corey and with Kate. I found my way to the frozen rim of Lake Michigan, while Kate found a lighthouse and an old mansion seemingly built of flagstones and seashells. Corey found other things: dry, yellowed grasses, footprints embedded in snow. I found ice and churning lake-water at the cusp of land and water, at the cusp of frozen water and water still wet. I found good reasons to lie on my belly (to disperse my weight) and though I had no idea that there might be a poet named Hieronymus (in some alternate universe) a fragment from one of his “famous” poems filtered through my head. Funny how that works. Muses are strange creatures. I think mine drinks a lot.
I’m sure that the “famous” poetry of Hieronymus might inspire deeper explorations of whatever world it comes from, but until then, here’s an image taken in Evanston, Illinois, on a pleasant Sunday I spent with Corey and Kate.
As always, thank you for viewing and reading, and commenting, and I hope that you're all having a great, blizzard-free week. Chicago's got the winter version of heavy weather now...it looks quite nice in that dramatic, snow-blown sort of way, but it photographs poorly. Oh well....
Comments (30)
cece7894
WOW! Amazing Capture!
efron_241
that must be great to be there
anaber
I adore to see that!A WONDER!!!
flavia49
superb writing and amazing shot!
anmes
Wonderful snow speckled capture
sandra46
spectacula shot, Chip, very impressive!
NefariousDrO
Lovely photo, I agree. It's a fascinating array of dirt and ice, churning water and falling snow. I'm also intrigued by both your poem, and the accompanying story snippet. That a poet would bearing that name would write such a poem seems appropriate, when I consider the bizarre, disturbing and profoundly moving art of Hieronymus Bosch. Any chance you had him in mind when you wrote that?
eekdog
amazing capture! love the icicles along the ridge.
Sepiasiren
I am not a big fan of the cold by any means and this sends a shiver down my spine. That said this is so lovely--even though the cold and I don't hang, I do believe I would have braved the elements just to take in the beauty of this scene, very nice Chipka!
Orinoor
Wonderful shot; I suspect you will be taking more photos of snow and ice, as news of the coming storm sounds rather epic.
mbz2662
There's a sight I have never seen, and I don't think one I'd much care to be around for long! All that ice and snow, brrr. But it sure looks awesome. I thought perhaps some day, I'd take a trek around Lake Superior during the winter and get some of those cool frozen shots. But, I think, perhaps not. :P Knowing my "graceful" capabilities I think it would be smart to stay away from iced over lakes and shores. I am glad you came away with photos and no mishap!
mgtcs
This is a great shot! Excellent lighting and angle, amazing writing as usual!
bimm3d
wonderful photo!!
Digitaleagle
Seems like the whole world is under ice or snow right now, Excellent capture!
Meisiekind
Stark winter cold... yeah - that is Chicago. I must admit that Chicago was the coldest on my trip thus far... And this image just confirms it! Wonderful work Chip and I love the words of Hieronymus at the top!
blinkings
I was watching how cold Chicago is on the news tonight! Brrrrrrrrrrr.
durleybeachbum
What a litle masterpiece by your alter ego! That ice is almost unbelievable..
kgb224
Stunning capture my friend.
danapommet
Beautiful icicles and love the effect of the snow flakes. Yes, a lovely scene! Dana
helanker
WOW! It looks so fantastic, even though it is so freaking cold. Awesome shot and narrative.
makron
Excepcional captura...Well done
beachzz
This could be an alien land for sure--it's simply full of mystery and the most amazing details. Cold I can't even imagine--I get freaked out when it hits the 30's at home. That probably sounds balmy to you about now!!
tofi
What an incredible view and capture, Chip! Your outing seems like it was a tremendous success, curious and full of wonderful discoveries! It's definitely a place that you speak of that, that inspires the creative flow of the imagination; and for someone so talented as yourself, I can just imagine it simply took you to a whole new level. Very beautiful composition!
MrsRatbag
Bleakly stunning and (to me) very very attractive! I love the sense of impending something in the flat blue-gray sky, and the snowflakes visible as they drift down to earth. Wonderful capture!
evielouise
wow stunning photo it must have been cold taken this one::
CoreyBlack
Gee, this ALMOST looks as cold as it actually was! Great capture! I had a lot of fun that day as well. Great writing as usual. Always nice to hear old Hieronymus. He also did a mean version of "Satisfaction", right?
RodS
That's a really amazing photo, Chip! It looks like some wierd alien landscape! Very cool (or cold!) work!
mafto62
Wow ! Brrr ! I feel warm, here, near the fire ! Nice shot !
three_grrr
What an amazing and fascinating photo! A world that surely can't be ours! A fairytale world, waiting for the troll to pop out from between the ice covered pillars that support the frozen bridge .. That's my very short description of what I see .. Your narrative is much better. So much so that I almost started to google Hieronymus to see what else he had written, and to see if I could find the whole poem! And then I wondered about Entis .. and where it was, and then I snapped out of it and realized ... a story, another snapshot, a word painting to enhance the photo .. I wanted it to be real!
0rest4wicked
A photogenic area for all that ventured out this frigid day! Forgive the pun, but this is very cool!