Photo by Joseph Hesch
October winds and rains cleared
the branches and stretched
my piece of sky’s once red arbor edges.
You would think one might see,
once the light comes again,
more feathers in the trees
usurping the old territory of
now-ground blanketing leaves’.
But, as dawn stretches maples’
cold skeleton-shadow hands
to rap at my door,
no robins’ songs awaken me,
nor the screech of crows
chanting their harsh
morning prayers.
The 5:30 freight train’s
forlorn whistle, as it
hauls westward the night,
replaced mourning doves’
lowing signal that morning’s on
my leaf-tossed doorstep.
It signals another Fall harvest
of days’ memories, the yield
of a life spent searching
for something that would grow
from dreams but never did.
But it brought forth
this comforting creation,
a new life, where before
nothing but darkness informed
my cold and drowsy thoughts.
Joe such a wonderful read this morning– I love your poem!
Thank you, Joanie.
There are times your photographs could quite seamlessly be inserted into these poems as perfect illustrations.
Another beautiful gift from you, Joe. I especially loved “The 5:30 freight train’s
forlorn whistle”. I can hear it.
Thank you, Jenny. Heard that whistle this morning and that’s when this poem started.
I love this poem, Joe…full of Autumn melancholy and hope. A beautiful write 🙂 xox
Thank you, my dear Louise!
That’s me, right? Almost always full of melancholy, but now some hope is mixed in! 🙂 xox
these words truly represent Fall – things lost, things in the past, a comforting beauty all it’s own
Smiles
Leslie!! So great to see you here!
Thank you for stopping by and reading. I’m so glad you liked this piece. 🙂
no robins’ songs awaken me,
nor the screech of crows
chanting their harsh
morning prayers.
Hi Joe–this piece was beautifully evocative of fall. Fell in love most of all with your birds…
I love these moments… time’s passing presented to us on a platter, and there’s so much to miss if we don’t pay attention. Already, I miss the robins.
Perversely I love these dark mornings and dark evenings, but this is a great piece of work J, descriptive, deep with a hint of longing. Great dark wet evening reading 😉
Beautiful use of language and imagery.
“You would think one might see,
once the light comes again,
more feathers in the trees
usurping the old territory of
now-ground blanketing leaves’.”
I love that image. Great piece!
A grand poem Joe
i am glad that light has enetered in…i loved the bit about the train as well..i grew up by the tracks…i was home this weekend and there was comfort in hearing the train come through in the morning…
Love how you captured both the moment, and the season’s change by reflecting on the birds and their song (or lack of it) in your little corner of the world. And yet, it is comforting to know that new life has taken hold. A lovely write, my friend.
a beautifully autumnal poem – the changing seasons of nature and spirit. K
superb imagery Joe…peacefully resolute in its closure as well
Peace
the yield
of a life spent searching
for something that would grow
from dreams but never did…
this is one of the saddest passages I’ve read today. Eloquently parsed.
lovely write Joe… I can see you in the middle of the event drinking it all in… seasons have the way of setting the mood.
yes i like the whistle of our train
our australian robin is endangered
have you seen dave bonta’s morning porch?
your poem reminds me of his snippets of morning
http://morningporch.com/
Nice turn at the end. 🙂
Awesome write, Joe. This is vivid and beautiful!
Lovely write.
Ahhh… don’t you love waking slowly and absorbing morning.
Perhaps melancholy mixed with hope is the most striking bas-relief, allowing art to flourish within life. Beautiful!
morning dawned inside me
brightness filled not my room but my soul
made me rise and uphold
my thoughts were not cold
just needed some warmth and freshness
that only your smile could bring..thank you my friend
the silent breeze…the morning rays,, the rustling leaves
I wish you all..good day :))
Classic Joe. Good stuff. xoJulia