Happy New Year! How long until new becomes normal?

This winter, or lack thereof until recently, has been unusual compared to the historical record in the North Country, but could well be a version of a “New Normal” according to climate scientists. It’s not only snow that’s been lacking. Most of the local lakes looked almost ice free as we drove past yesterday. With a New Year and the start of winter weather finallly here, there’s a list of neighbors we haven’t seen for weeks, months, or longer. Some examples:

pileated woodpecker, not seen for months

Photo by J. Harrington

barred owl, not seen for a year

Photo by J. Harrington

turkey flock, not seen for a year

Photo by J. Harrington

Not seen for weeks, approaching months, cardinals. Not seen so far this winter, purple finches. I'm not sure if the remarkably warmer weather in 2023 is a major cause of the apparent disappearances or if there’s some other reason for the pattern shift. I am looking forward to seeing at least some of our past neighbors and visitors sometime this month. We’ll report here when and if things start to become whatever may pass for normal. See how much trouble a shifting baseline can cause? Imagine if it started to happen in our politics!

Normalization

By Czeslaw Milosz

This happened long ago, before the onset 

of universal genetic correctness. 

Boys and girls would stand naked before mirrors 

studying the defects of their structure. 

Nose too long, ears like burdocks, 

sunken chin just like a mongoloid. 

Breasts too small, too large, lopsided shoulders, 

penis too short, hips too broad or else too narrow. 

And just an inch or two taller! 

Such was the house they inhabited for life. 

Hiding, feigning, concealing defects. 

But somehow they still had to find a partner. 

Following incomprehensible tastes—airy creatures 

paired with potbellies, skin and bones enamored of salt pork. 

They had a saying then: “Even monsters 

have their mates.” So perhaps they learned to tolerate their partners’ 

flaws, trusting that theirs would be forgiven in turn. 

Now every genetic error meets with such 

disgust that crowds might spit on them and stone them. 

As happened in the city of K., where the town council 

voted to exile a girl 

So thickset and squat 

that no stylish dress could ever suit her, 

But let’s not yearn for the days of prenormalization. 

Just think of the torments, the anxieties, the sweat, 

the wiles needed to entice, in spite of all. 

          Translated by Clare Cavanagh

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