autumn – Poetic Meanderings

Before the Frost

“Some of the days in November carry the whole memory of summer as a fire opal carries the color of moon rise.” — Gladys Taber I see the sky through the deep red petals and know the blue will ease into gray as these flowers fade and the world sinks into the rest of winter, Continue reading “Before the Frost”

Autumn’s Cotillion

Where waving woods and waters wild Do hymn an autumn sound. — Elizabeth Barrett Browning The last dance of the butterflies in this mid-October homage to spring, the wildflowers wait for the shift to northern winds, for frost to touch the ground and silence growth, but today there is time to flit and flutter underContinue reading “Autumn’s Cotillion”

What Lingers II

Besides the Autumn poets sing, a few prosaic days, a little this side of the snow, and that side of the Haze.” ― Emily Dickinson Memories are in every changing season — the first snow of winter, the sweet breezes of warm spring days, the bright-heat of summer, and fall’s first lingering haze. —C.L. Fisher,Continue reading “What Lingers II”

Resting Season

“The heart of autumn must have broken here and poured its treasure upon the leaves.” — Charlotte Bates I wait for that day, the true break, when autumn scatters her fiery tears, releasing her full flung beauty in a mass of golden treasure that heaps at the feet of bare- limbed trees, and that northerlyContinue reading “Resting Season”

What October?

I forgot it was October, the day opened bright and warmed past most September highs, and I thought we were back in July, the summer just beginning its final act, the long sun-days that stretch into tomorrow, but November will arrive, settle the sunny- blue into a cool-gray and I’ll remember how fall teases usContinue reading “What October?”

Denouement

Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before…. — Ecclesiastes 3:15 What adornment does nature need? None other than the elemental realness of soil, water, nutrients — the truth of a fallen leaf, the honesty of split bark, the epiphany of scattered petals — all becoming a denouement of autumn, aContinue reading “Denouement”

Goodnight, Summer

The firelight flames last until a north-wind settles in autumn’s kind glow. —C.L. Fisher, October 2021 Unless otherwise indicated, all writings and images are the work of C.L. Fisher and may not be copied, used, or distributed without permission.

Bonfire Season

Just today, this morning when we returned from walking, just as the sun turned tangerine in the sky, we saw the leaves on our pear tree in the first hue of autumn, that golden tint that begins to curl and dry the green until the stem releases and all the world falls into the bonfireContinue reading “Bonfire Season”

First Signs

Here are the beginnings, the first turn of leaf, a fall burst of orange or shades of yellow, the green apple-like acorn resting in the frilled nest until the woven wood cap weakens its grip, lets go the darkened nut, and ages into a peachy, golden tan, and I long to walk under a canopyContinue reading “First Signs”

A Gift of Fall

… waving woods and waters wild do hymn an autumn sound. —Elizabeth Barrett Browning We pretend it is fall, and the world consents, so we open windows, listen to the steady drops, nap near a window where the cloud- cooled winds gently greet us, put a soup on a low, slow simmer, and linger overContinue reading “A Gift of Fall”