Soon enough
season's rhythm sets itself
a halo of gold
about the apple,
russet-roughed skin
mimicking the turncoats of oak:
standing columns
dressing down.
Leaf's body crackles,
edges crisp and curl
and break apart in the hand,
fragments of green run out.
The seed, already freely fallen,
dies into yet-yielding ground,
the sower's promise
come to act the memory of earth.
© 2010 Maureen E. Doallas
_________________________
I wrote this poem for Abbey of the Arts Poetry Party #47, the theme for which is "Autumn Blessings".
Anyone may share his or her inspiration at Abbey of the Arts by contributing a poem "about the gifts, graces, invitations, questions, and challenges of autumn." Be sure to provide in the comments section here the text of your poem and, if you wish, a link to your blog or the site where your poem appears.
On Friday, September 17, a name from among those participating will be drawn at random. The winner will receive a signed copy of Christine Valters Paintner's Water, Wind, Earth, and Fire: The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements.
beautiful...the earths memory...lovely and promising...bkm
ReplyDeleteThis almost makes me love fall. Along with frost kissed apples that flow sweetness, finally.
ReplyDeleteSomeone told me the other day that evergreens 'throw'
as many cones/seeds as possible when they are dying. A last gift of replenishing. A blessing.
These were 'painterly words'. Very.
Just beautiful-- very visual-- I love the waterfall effect you create in your poems with the short stanzas, each one a thought perfecting itself in the next. Hope you're feeling better--xxj
ReplyDeleteI always love your poems Maureen and this makes me fall in love with autumn even more. Thanks for this offering.
ReplyDeleteHow delightful in fall's beauty.
ReplyDeleteand.. as you were posting a poem so was I -- so I borrowed your descriptive words of the Abbey's poetry party and linked back to you.
Beautiful poetry as always Maureen.
I just love the Autumn & you have really captured the 'atmosphere' so well - wonderful write
ReplyDeleteThe "turncoats of oaks" - that phrase alone is an entire poem. Well done, my good friend.
ReplyDeleteMaureen,
ReplyDeleteI love the short stanzas, I could really get a feel and a visual of fall, Short sentences but so powerful
Great OneShot xo
"standing columns dressing down" I loved the reversal inherent in that
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy the way you write..always capturing wonderful images with powerful words! hats off..:) lovely one shot!
ReplyDeleteThe autumn promise held in the palm breaks apart to remind of the continuation of life. Great depth and captures the feel of fall literally and metaphysically. Happy One Shot, Maureen! Thanks for linking up
ReplyDeleteoh but i love fall and you capture it well...the flash of beauty before the dying so life can live once more...nice one shot!
ReplyDeleteExcellent description, personification throughout. Images so strong. I particularly liked "standing columns
ReplyDeletedressing down." Well written. Thank you. Gay (@beachanny).
I Love Autumn...
ReplyDeleteYou poem ROCKED!!!
I love the great flow of the poem =D beautiful and wonderful imagery of Fall portrayed as well :D
ReplyDelete"come to act the memory of earth..." vivid and picturesque. this is lovely!
ReplyDeletetruly lovely!
ReplyDeleteFall is lovely and mysterious to me. You've captured it so well. So many phrases captured me.
ReplyDelete"standing columns dressing down"
My favorite part.
You made autumn sing. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLovely poem and your lines captivate very well, nice i stopped by~
ReplyDeleteBeautiful...
ReplyDeleteॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Nice one shot. Love and Light, Sender
ReplyDeleteturncoats of oak. Now I love that!
ReplyDeletenowhere island
I loved these two lines:
ReplyDelete"standing columns
dressing down"
Fall trees shead summer clothes to face winter, stark and bare.
ah.. blessed autumn.. this was beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteMy 1 Shot
"The seed, already freely fallen,
ReplyDeletedies into yet-yielding ground"
These lines are so evocative of ever-changing impermanence.
Lovely one shot.
i love the way you write these short stanzas...very clever...a beautiful poem and thanks for sharing..cheers pete
ReplyDeletelove it,
ReplyDeletesimple, compact, yet poetic and fun!
love the changes of seasons and the beauty going along with it.
high imagery in this subtle but nice poem, well written :)
ReplyDelete..standing columns dressing down…is my favorite line in this wonderful autumn poem
ReplyDelete**exhale**
ReplyDeleteMaureen, I am still lobbying for a book of your poetry. If I don't get one soon I will have to print out pages of your blog and staple them together like I used to do in grade school. You paint with words.