Winter Comes

I wrote 'Winter Comes' in November 2021 and, with a few alterations, have now made it into a hand made artist book.

It was one of those pieces of writing that start off as a word or two or a line in my head, and then it grows to form something more solid and complete.

I chose the cover when I was looking through some monotype prints that I'd made a few months earlier. The ink colour of the prints wasn't as strong as I had hoped, but when scaled down to fit the A7 book covers, they gave a lovely pale, ethereal quality, especially when printed on  beautiful Japanese Hosho paper.

The papers on the inside are recycled packaging, hand-made craft paper, tissue paper and newsprint.

There are eight copies.

Cover: 'Winter Comes' 2022

Hand drawn title and tree on Hosho paper

Original monotype print on Hosho paper

Inside: 'Winter Comes' 2022

by Clare Rogers

Inkjet printed on newsprint.

Winter Comes

One of those still days

where the earth in respite,

rests its bones

and the loss of leaf is a reprieve,

for trees,

who sigh their last breath into

breathing space.

And the wind's intermission,

like time holding its breath, waits

as birds without song

on filigree branches

watch,

as the muted drizzle

rolls a veil over the year.