Lost In Autumn

18th Dec 2017

Lost In Autumn

Born in springtime,

 mama tree pushed you out 

a brand new bud.

delicate baby on bare branch,

 you unfurled - sweet, sacred promise. 

Life water and nutrients absorbed

 from the blood of ancestors fed you

 roots reached down  into times unknown 

you, in turn, produced sugar sap

 nourishment for your tree.

In the rays of the sun,

you opened up,

 danced and dallied

 through the summer 

of your life, 

strong veins forming

 your  particular self  shape -

 you.

Happiness and hope you  gifted 

 to those who wandered  your wood

  fruitful, filled, days, 

some, satiated by your colour, your light 

went away refreshed, replenished

you, only being yourself,

 unaware how  your warmth 

 touched those souls.

It was  your time, your season - 

with others you wove

  a soft web of wonder,

waving from your branch ,

 bestowing  magic on all

 who wanted to  see.

So,  when the cold came

 and your green grew dim

Your sparkle diminished 

 it was hard to take.

Signs of yellowing

 took us by surprise,

 halted us in our tracks.

With  shortening days,

 orange specks appeared 

 and the  weakening began

 your edges getting brittle , 

 other leaves falling

dropping  to the ground 

all around . 

Suddenly

 it was your turn,

reluctantly

 you let go ,

 fluttered to the earth,

you died in the autumn 

as it was right that you should,

 but it was hard.

Scaffolding/ Leaf

29th Nov 2016

This morning the rainwater that had collected in the garden tray had turned to ice. Yes, it is official it was freezing last night. But the clear blue sky, if you could ignore the cold seeping into your bones, was like a Tuscan summer sky, the morning light filling the garden helping to create the illusion.
With reds, yellows, oranges and browns set against the blue I could almost put up with the cold for the sheer beauty of it. But I will go out with scarf and winter coat and breathe out a foggy breath and it will not be pleasant. No, no matter how wonderful the scene outside , there is still ice in the tray.

Now for some words:

Scaffolding

This old building needs restoring after long grey years,

scarred with use and abuse, concrete slabs crumbling,

broken windows of shattered dreams, vacant eyes staring.

Shape a scaffold with forklift and crane...

and mascara  ...

Cover the cracks, the tracks, from every tear that smacks

of fear -

who hears anyway.

Fill in the holes of memory loss, though no one gives a toss,

that it's going that way.

Repaint the facade of this body, scrub white green slime-

disappointment and pain, stand tall again,

proud to be noticed.

Leaf

You were born in springtime, mama tree pushing you out as a brand new bud on your branch.

Delicate baby leaf, you unfurled to become a sweet, green promise. 

Fed by your tree with water and nutrients absorbed from the soil of ancestors, you grew 

And you, in turn, produced sugar sap - nourishment for your tree.

You opened up in the rays of the sun, played and danced through the summer 

of your life, veins giving you your particular leaf shape - individual to you.

You gave pleasure and hope to those who came by your wood in those fruitful long days, 

many who came went away refreshed and replenished by your colour, your light.

You, only being yourself, unaware how much you touched so many hearts.

This was your time, your season and with others you created a tapestry of wonder,

waving from your branch , giving your magic  to all who would see.

So when the temperature dropped and your green started to fade it was hard to take.

The first signs of yellowing took us by surprise, halted us in our tracks.

But with the shortening of days, orange specks appeared all over and a weakening began

with your edges getting brittle and other leaves falling to the ground all around you. 

Suddenly it was your turn, you let go and fluttered to the earth,

And you died in the autumn as it is right that you should, but it was hard.