Knitting Poetry

April is National Poetry Month. Inspired by a favorite poem, I knit a little coaster to celebrate the season. I used motif No.52 from my book 150 Scandinavian Motifs. Instead of knitting it stranded, I tried my hand at intarsia. I’m a little rusty and just off the needles it’s a bit bumpy, but I think it will calm down with a nice blocking.

I actually saw a cardinal today, sitting on a branch just outside my window, sweetly singing. The birds are different here in my new home in the city. I am making new friends and learning new songs.

Spring
Pablo Neruda

The bird has come
to give the light:
from each trill of his
water is born.

And between water and light that unroll the air
now the spring is inaugurated,
now the seed knows that it has grown,
the root is portrayed in the corolla,
at last the eye lids of the pollen unclose.

All this was done by a simple bird
from a green branch.

 

La Primavera
Pablo Neruda

El párajo ha venido
a dar la luz:
de cada trino suyo
nace el agua

Y entre agua y luz que el aire desarrollan
ya está la primavera inaugurada,
ya sabe la semilla que ha crecido,
la raíz se retrata en la corola,
se abren por fin los párpados del polen.

Todo lo hizo un pájaro sencillo
desde una rama verde.

What’s your favorite spring poem?

You want this book! 
Full Woman, Fleshy Apple, Hot Moon: Selected Poems of Pablo Neruda
Translated by Stephen Mitchell
Harper Collins
ISBN 0-06-092877-8

For the coaster I used Quince & Co. Lark yarn. In egret, delft and leek. More specs on my Ravelry  page.