maple and berry leaves
have acquiesced to
Autumn’s soft stroke
switching their wardrobes
before they fall, and
Sun –
the dedicated artist –
paints the cliffs
and rolling hills
in vibrant hues
of oranges and reds as
Earth continues
to pull away,
lengthening the nights
to make Winter’s arrival
more palatable…
Last evening I found a spot in the garden unaffected by light pollution, and sat for an hour, listening to the low, constant song of the sea. I couldn’t see it but I could hear and smell it. There’s a distinct scent when salt air is mixed with the smell of summer slowly giving itself over to autumn. I plucked an apple for company and we shared that spot, high in the garden, surrounded by trees and sleeping birds, until we found what sits at the core of Eden.
the seeds you planted
D
E
E
P
in my heart
have started to bear
the most beautiful fruit
mind
pregnant with thought
carafe
filled with coffee
blinking cursor
patiently waits
for poetry
to take
its first breath
from slumber, I ambled,
drawn to the window
looking in, I saw
footprints on the soul
barely visible beneath the snow
winds twirled and swirled,
unique flakes danced
on their flight to hide
a path well-trodden
bare and naked,
wreathing in tangled thoughts,
I buried my head in
my pillowed sorrow
there, in tormented sleep,
I held my berth,
anchored to restlessness,
waiting for the reality of
my dream
to unfold
as it packs its bags
for its annual journey
Summer slips on
the air conditioner
to make it more comfortable
for Autumn
who is slowly
moving in
It took nearly half a century to meet you and seconds to get lost in the universe in your eyes. That morning we traversed the nooks and crannies of ancient coves, admiring the palette of colourful structures dotting the shorelines, holding hands all the while, sneaking kisses here and there like teenage lovers. That night, under a blanket of stars, we cuddled and relived the day over warm tea as hearts grew fonder and souls sighed.
Then, yesterday, you were gone.
late afternoon
a cobbled beach of memories
west sky saddened blue
fingers and heart
traced contrails
as they disappeared
beyond the horizon
but setting sun
held you in its arms and
smiled as it led you home
She sent me a photo of beach stretching to the ocean beneath a grey evening sky. There was no distinguishing the pebbled stones from the rippled water or skyline that disappeared beyond a headland, a few miles away. The note attached said: “I left this here for you.” My heart smiled when my eyes found the heart she had scrawled in a small patch of finer sand.
you left your heart –
salted away
with tears –
on the grey shores
of the Atlantic
where we walked
and kissed
and made memories
that will last
a lifetime
Larry swept through
quieter than anticipated
but rowdy enough
to stir the leaves
and grass
who are still
dancing
the garden is too wet
to pick berries but
the birds survived
and I’m still here
thinking of you
The sun is barely awake and I am already crawling through grass, soaked with heavy dew. I find a thick patch of blueberries and begin to pick. The berries are plump and delicate this time of year so I take my time plucking them, one by one, gently rolling them between finger and thumb before dropping them into my bucket. The sound of a boat breaks the morning silence and I pause to watch it leave the harbour, admiring its wake as it disturbs the mirrored surface. When it disappears, I turn back to the berries and resume my picking but I’m no longer in the grass. Instead, I am with you on the on the shore of an aging summer pond, rolling in heavy dew and leaving foamy wakes in our late morning tryst.
and there
among the dewy fruit
I found you –
and myself –
in moments
of daydreaming
I see you
sitting
beneath a canopy
of grey clouds
photographing as
late summer’s yellow flowers
and lush green grass
stand on the edge
of the Atlantic
and admire
its vast beauty
but more than these
your smile
