Sonatas VIII-10 (Andante Felice)

Still quiet on this early morn
No person on my solitary stroll I meet
No footprints in the snow adorn
Though I see the plow has met the street -
A harbinger of the waking day
When all that’s peaceful ebbs away.
Too soon - the sounds of nature wake
The sounds of winter birds and fowl
Dogs will bark and cats will prowl;
Rabbits hop, the fox will trek;
The lonely deer will stretch it’s neck;
The raccoon will scatter specks around if things aren’t fastened tight -
Children in their winter boots will jump to break the puddle ice.
I think of places I may take my bride, perhaps she’s up to meet the sights
In the untouched beauty of the icy snowy white
Of natures’ splendorous silent morn, without the public clatter.
I’ll hold her hand, we’ll stroll awhile
She’ll hear the laughter of a child -
She’ll say, “I know nature’s both wild and mild without the world’s mad chatter!
But - Oh! My Love! Just hear that child!
That child makes all this matter!”

The photo was taken in January of 2020 with a Pentax 67 medium format SLR equipped with a 200 mm f/4 SMC Pentax 67 lens on Ilford FP5+ film. The negative was enlarged optically with a Beseler 23CIIXL enlarger and a 100 mm f/5.6 Schneider Componon-S lens on Ilford Multigrade FB Classic Double Weight Fiber Base silver gelatin photo paper. Processing was done archivally using Kodak chemistry, with a final toning with Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner, treated with hypo clearing agent, and washed in an archival washer.

All aspects of this print were handled in an authentic, pre-digital manner. Archival processing will ensure the maximum life span for this print.

This print (1/25) on 8” x 10” paper is available for purchase, mounted or unmounted. Please contact me if interested. Thank You.