Gloom

Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste,
An’ weary winter comin fast…

Here in Minnesota, it’s already snowed, and it’s meant to again tonight. The past few days have been damp and cold and gray. Right now it’s apparently sleeting outside my office window; but the trees in the courtyard are still green.

I woke up this morning in a shade of gloom best described by a song, in this case studying stones: “i am out here studying stones / trying to learn to be less alive … but any more pent up emotion / and i think i’m gonna explode”. (I usually describe my moods by particular songs or albums or lyrics.) I’m not sure why the mood came over me, though having spent the last few nights rapidly working through the first season of Gilmore Girls can’t have helped.

But not to be too emo, I’ll leave you with a bit of Burns (from the full text here):

That wee bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble,
Has cost thee mony a weary nibble!
Now thou’s turn’d out, for a’ thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the winter’s sleety dribble,
An’ cranreuch cauld!

…

Still thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me
The present only toucheth thee:
But, Och! I backward cast my e’e.
On prospects drear!
An’ forward, tho’ I canna see,
I guess an’ fear!