Thursday, October 26, 2006

Poetry Thursday - Exploring "October"

October by Madison Cawein

I oft have met her slowly wandering
Beside a leafy stream, her locks blown wild,
Her cheeks a hectic flush, more fair than Spring,
As if on her the sumach copse had smiled.
Or I have seen her sitting, tall and brown,--
Her gentle eyes with foolish weeping dim,--
Beneath a twisted oak from whose red leaves
She wound great drowsy wreaths and cast them down;
The west-wind in her hair, that made it swim
Far out behind, deep as the rustling sheaves.

Or in the hill-lands I have often seen
The marvel of her passage; glimpses faint
Of glimmering woods that glanced the hills between,
Like Indian faces, fierce with forest paint.
Or I have met her 'twixt two beechen hills,
Within a dingled valley near a fall,
Held in her nut-brown hand one cardinal flower;
Or wading dimly where the leaf-dammed rills
Went babbling through the wildwood's arrased hall,
Where burned the beech and maples glared their power.

Or I have met her by some ruined mill,
Where trailed the crimson creeper, serpentine,
On fallen leaves that stirred and rustled chill,
And watched her swinging in the wild-grape vine.
While Beauty, sad among the vales and mountains,
More sad than death, or all that death can teach,
Dreamed of decay and stretched appealing arms,
Where splashed the murmur of the forest's fountains;
With all her loveliness did she beseech,
And all the sorrow of her wildwood charms.

Once only in a hollow, girt with trees,
A-dream amid wild asters filled with rain,
I glimpsed her cheeks red-berried by the breeze,
In her dark eyes the night's sidereal stain.
And once upon an orchard's tangled path,
Where all the goldenrod had turned to brown,
Where russets rolled and leaves were sweet of breath,
I have beheld her 'mid her aftermath
Of blossoms standing, in her gypsy gown,
Within her gaze the deeps of life and death.


Explore more poetry about time and place with Poetry Thursday

22 Comments:

Blogger Joyce Ellen Davis said...

Beautiful! So glad you haven't let Blogger discourage you -- I love your page!

3:31 PM  
Blogger Tammy Brierly said...

This was amazing! You have such a beautiful spirit that connects with nature. Excellent!

3:34 PM  
Blogger ren powell said...

Quite beautiful! Thank you for sharing.

4:29 PM  
Blogger Julie said...

I love it when someone else is able to express that which I cannot. This is a beautiful poem about the many wonders of this time of year.

4:31 PM  
Blogger Natalie said...

Wow, this is a truly beautiful poem. The colours are alive and it's so well written. Thanks

5:02 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Beautiful! And the photo added to the wonderful images I saw while reading.

9:21 PM  
Blogger silverlight said...

I really like this poem. Visulizing October/Fall as a female personification.
Lovely verbal images. pretty fall picture.

10:43 PM  
Blogger Pam said...

Thank you for your welcome. This is a wonderful poem and the photos are beautiful. Your page is a lovely journey.I'm enjoying beyond words all the talent I have discovered since I started blogging.

10:27 AM  
Blogger HoBess said...

Oh so good to have you back ... these shots of autumn are so good for my soul. We have been cut short here in Missouri by a too-dry summer and now a soggy autumn. And I already understand what you mean about being addicted to my new camera. I spend every day trying to get "jobs" out of the way so I can play with it, but the rain has kept me indoors. Thanks for the encouragement!

10:50 AM  
Blogger MB said...

These landscape photos have been quite amazing!

11:43 AM  
Blogger MB said...

These landscape photos have been quite amazing!

11:43 AM  
Blogger Mary said...

This photo and the one below are absolutely lovely. And the words match.

12:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

it is SO lovely reading here!! thank you for such wonderful moments in my day!

7:07 PM  
Blogger Cyn Bagley said...

I love the pic too. :-)

7:59 PM  
Blogger Irene said...

This is my first time here and I couldn't help but be riveted by what I read. What a pleasure to come across such beautiful poetry! Thank you for sharing. Keep at it! c",)

1:07 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

oh I am SO glad you are back from your sojourn-- I am running now to read your past posts-- this photo makes me think we are neighbors!

*smile*

P.S. And thank you THANK you for your kind words-- they mean so much to me coming from you.

~bluepoppy

7:26 AM  
Blogger herhimnbryn said...

Thankyou E. All the poem and images on your blog continue to 'feed' me.
Your blog place is a sanctuary.

5:12 PM  
Blogger herhimnbryn said...

G'day from Australia!
Thankyou for your comment on my latest post.
It was lovely to hear from you.

8:50 PM  
Blogger Tim Rice said...

I love this lake view.

4:56 PM  
Blogger paris parfait said...

Just beautiful - the stunning photograph and the poem. Autumn is my favourite season and this post is an ode to joy!

6:17 PM  
Blogger LenĂ© Gary said...

Your photograph is beautiful, Endment. I always enjoy the poems you choose to post alongside.

9:51 AM  
Blogger Maureen said...

I love love love this poem, Endment. Normally I am not attracted to this "style" of poetry, whatever it is (I'm brain-fried at the moment. Besides, why pin a label on someone like you??) but this one drew me in, locked me in (!) with the imagery that seems to flow so easily from your mind and hand -- I'd say "pen" but am pretty sure you typed it on a keyboard '-)

The photos are beautiful too. But today, it is your words that grab me. I have always thought of nature, of the seasons, of Earth, of gardens both wild and tame, as a feminine presence. Here, you paint a classical portrait of a goddess both strong and nourishing, gentle and melancholy, ephemeral yet faithful year by year. So many contradictions blended like complimentary colors, with brushstroke lines, classic phrasing, fresh rhythms.

Speaking of rhythm - that's what keeps me going and going, wanting to read the poem over many times (which I have this morning) ... wanting to read it aloud (I did - and the sound is like rolling water, constant waves, steady breezes.)

Your poem is so full of vision and insights -- it makes me want to print on paper, cut the phrases and lines into strips, and take them one at a time, meditate, paint, visualize ...

I want to take a walk with your October. Get to know her better.

nuf said. you're an inspiration to me.

1:00 PM  

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