Thursday, October 29, 2009

Autumn Poetry



LODGED
By Robert Frost


The rain to the wind said,
"You push and I'll pelt."
They so smote the garden bed
that the flowers actually knelt,
and lay lodged --- though not dead.
I know how the flowers felt.



~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~


In my young days I never
tasted sorrow. I wanted
to become a famous poet.
I wanted to get ahead
so I pretended to be sad.
Now I am old and have known
the depths of every sorrow,
and I am content to loaf
and enjoy the clear Autumn.


Hsin Ch'i Chi
From: "Life Prayers"



~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~


I will nurse this autumn carefully,
treat its brittleness gently,
smooth its crumbling edges, its weeping afternoons.


I will rise early and go to it,
wrap it in a soft cloth
and watch its breathing.


I will nurture this Autumn knowing
it is myelf
in a pure and golden form,
and that childlike
soft words will be brought bubbling up
to be recorded in the pattern of leaves
and the low fog coming across the bay...


Wendy Smyer Yu
From: "Life Prayers"



~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~


AUTUMN LOVE
By Li Ch'ing Chao


Search. Search. Seek. Seek.
Cold. Cold. Clear. Clear.
Sorrow. Sorrow. Pain. Pain.
Hot flashes. Sudden chills.
Stabbing pains. Slow agonies.
I can find no peace. I drink two cups, then three bowls,
Of clear wine until I can’t
Stand up against a gust of wind.
Wild geese fly over head.
They wrench my heart.
They were our friends in the old days.
Gold chrysanthemums litter
The ground, pile up, faded, dead.
This season I could not bear
To pick them.
All alone,
Motionless at my window,
I watch the gathering shadows.
Fine rain sifts through the wu-t’ung trees,
And drips, drop by drop, through the dusk.
What can I ever do now?
How can I drive off this word —
Hopelessness?


From: "Life Prayers"



~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~


UNRAVELING
By Marion


There are days, hours
when I lust after
Nothingness
the way
I used to lust
after Life.


I hang by a thread,
you know---
the one that holds
the proverbial garment
together.
It droops there, dangling,
that thread,
wanting me to pull
it, begging me
(I worry it with my fingernail---).
My finger itches, twitching
for that first timid tug, then
one firm yank---
and
it all
unravels.


10/28/09


~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

22 comments:

Renee said...

Your autumn poetry is just another reason to love the fall.

Your comments on my blog are also like poetry.

Love you.

Renee xoxo

Kay said...

Great reads! UNRAVELING my favorite! :)

Kelly said...

Wow! The first and the last (Frost and you) are wonderful!!!

Looks like fall out my window, but sure doesn't feel like it when I step outside. The cool front is supposed to move through later today with all the rain.

Phoenix said...

Your poem is my favorite of all of these! (Well, okay, after Frost's, but that's just because I'm a biased Frost fan.)

I love how much your poetry is capturing the season for me (when it's a bit hard to get out here in Southern California)and letting me enjoy it vicariously through the artists' eyes.

Thank you for letting me enjoy autumn on your blog :)

Marion said...

Renee, thank you. Love you, too. Blessings!

Aww, Kay, you're too sweet. Thank you. Blessings!

Kelly, here, too. It's HOT here after a few nice, cool days. Thanks for your kind words. Blessings!

Phoenix, the Frost is my favorite, too. I'd never read it until last night when I was perusing my fat book of his poems. It was like discovering a hidden treasure. You're welcome. It's like summer today, though, muggy and humid, but more rain coming. Blessings!

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Marion: Beautiful poems. I have the book Life Prayers so have read the first ones - and loved them too. Your poem is heart-wrenchingly beautiful. We've all been there at some time or other - and you express it all so perfectly. Thank you!!

This is a lovely blog to visit.

Karen said...

Marion! Your poem is wonderful! Worrying that thread is such a great image and tells so much in so few words.

Love the Frost and the Marion!

Wine and Words said...

"I can find no peace. I drink two cups, then three bowls,of clear wine until I can’t
Stand up against a gust of wind."

Ain't that just me! But Marion, as much as I love the introductions to new poets and visions of things as I have never viewed them...I CHERISH your poetry most. Always these pointing to others, when all I want is more Marion. Lovely unraveling...the poem, and yet I want to be with you in this place of string, to support what must be difficult.

Perhaps our joint destination is the worlds largest ball of string. Where the hell is that, or was it just a fictional component of a movie?

Marion said...

Bonnie, thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed your visit. Isn't that just a fabulous book? I lucked up on it at a library sale and keep going back to it over and over. Blessings!

Karen, I appreciate your kind words. You made me smile! Hugs and Blessings!

Oh, Annie, I know, believe me, I know. I Googled the MFer and the largest ball of string (not twine) is in Weston, Missouri, closer to me than you, I think. Would that be a HOOT? Ha! Even more fun would be us sneaking in late one night and unraveling that whole sucker. LMAO! Until we can get together, we'll just keep meeting here and at your place in cyberspace. Love & Hugs & Blessings, dear friend of my heart...xoxoxoxo

RNSANE said...

All wonderful poems...the poets new to me except for Frost. I really liked your poem, too...sometimes I feel like just the merest tug will unravel me as well.

Chrisy said...

Marion your poem Unravelling...the thread analogy...the itching finger...is wonderful...

Marion said...

Carmen, I think we all have these moments due to our being humans (and women). Thanks for stopping by. Blessings!

Chrisy, thank you. I appreciate your kind words. Blessings!

Renee said...

Marion I knew you would love the freakish pope too. har har

By the way, I forgot to tell you the other day how much I love your poem on hanging like a thread. I think when I read it yesterday, it so made me sad because I know Jacquie feels like that, but it is a fantastic piece.

Love Renee xoxo

Marion said...

Oh, Renee, I'm so sad about your precious sister, Jacquie. I pray every single day for you and for her to be healed. Thank you, dear friend, for your kind words. May God give you all strength and courage. I love you and appreciate you. Blessings!

Margaret Pangert said...

Marion, thank you for these takes on autumn but none better than yours. I think we all feel those down times when we want to ease out of "bother" (bother from Winnie the Pooh), and then an idea occurs to us and we're back, enthusiastic as ever. It is a beautifully crafted poem, Marion. Hugs xxox

Woman in a Window said...

Ok, I'm ignoring Frost, or whoever it is, because I want to just read you. Unraveling.

"There are days, hours
when I lust after
Nothingness."

Holy shit, Marion. Five minutes sitting here thinking about that. Five minutes. Even this can mean so many different things. It can be despondant but it can be calming also. Unraveling suggests you're lost to it, but I'm learning that with anything, if you jump into the river, if you throw the string to the breeze, it can be a gentler ride. But that's me with glass half full goggles on. When I've my others, it's difficult to see.

Be well, Marion. Use those muscular legs of yours to climb that crevice.
xo
erin

Marion said...

Thanks, Margaret. I know. I'm in good company. And menopause is kicking my ass on top of everything else. I appreciate you! Blessings!

Erin, you're right and I'm a fighter. I love your take on it and the way you see life, with or without those rose colored glasses. You be well, too, and know that I love you, dear poet-friend. Blessings!

Judith Ellis said...

Great slow images in your poem there, Marion. The pace is great--unraveling slowly, until the end, of course. The "yank" is heartfelt. Peace and love, my friend.

Anonymous said...

I am liking your Autumn posts and the colours dancing in my mind's eye, with each word 'eye-balled'
This 'unraveling' takes a life time, I am thinking.When we think we have unravel such, there is always something else to unravel! Your words pretty much akin to my own thoughts/feelings lately though and you say such far better than I ever could.

Rikkij said...

Marion-I like the Frost pce. As for lusting for nothing, that's easy. It's all around. Just reach out and grab you some. Take care~rick

quid said...

Lovely new poem from you, ML. It should keep me from wanting more, for a little while.

quid

Marion said...

Judith, I appreciate you, dear, dear friend. Blessings...

Saraha, thank you. I love you and your writing so much. Your comments mean so much to me...Wishing you peace, love & happiness...

Rick, thanks for stopping by. I've come to depend upon your visits and I missed you. I appreciate your kind comments and good wisdom. Love & Blessings, my dear poet-friend.

Thanks, Quid. I'm hankering down for Winter when I love to write even more. I hope to have more of my own words here. I hope to see more from you, too, dear friend. Love & Blessings...