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Seasonal Sensations -'Notes From Inside Autumn' Poem



Living close to Melbourne, in the southern part of Australia, we experienced a somewhat  wetter, cooler summer this year. We were left wanting more after such a protracted Covid lockdown. We were however grateful for the reduced risk of bushfires.

 So now that we are inside autumn, the balmy weather has come as an unexpected joy. Across the Easter break, the weather was without a doubt- delightful. It was an absolute cracker! A spirit lifter.

I freely admit autumn is a season I find most appealing. Softer light, crisp morning air and balmy afternoons are easy to embrace. Autumn is all about change and change is what we make it. It can be exciting, invigorating, challenging and stressful, or a mix of many feelings. 

The world around us is in constant change- clouds roll across the sky, night follows day, flower bloom and die, leaves change colour and fall. We constantly shift through the seasons. I am therefore looking closely at the world beyond my window and paying close attention. So, here is my modern day take on an ode to autumn...

Notes From Inside Autumn

We are sitting inside the edges of Autumn

The light less harsh

And the sun

Warm for the season

Delivers a block of mellow days

Autumn’s song is soft and slow

But its farewell in inevitable.

The last blush of harvest

The fade and fall of leaves

Amid the increasing crispness of the morning air.

This season of change

Cannot be stalled

We are witness to the leaving

The last blaze of colour

-we watch it go

With a sadness.

We reach for books 

And sit under trees 

Absorbing the sunshine

Grateful for Autumn’s gifts.

©Alan j Wright


The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome indescribably magnificent world in itself.'
Henry Miller'


It is Poetry Friday and this week our host is Tabatha Yeats. Tabatha is sharing some bilingual poetry. By visiting Tabatha's page you also get to share ideas from a host of poets from all round the world.



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Comments

  1. Alan j Wright10 April 2021 at 10:15

    The subject is indeed a thing of loveliness Ruth. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Janice Scully10 April 2021 at 11:25

    I like the pace of this poem, it flows as I read it and the line breaks seemed just right. It always seems so strange that half the world is in autumn as we begin Spring. I'm glad you didn't have fires this year and I"m sure it was a relief to you, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alan j Wright11 April 2021 at 10:41

      Thank you Janice for your observations. Seasonally we are in opposite states and in the middle there are those living with a wet and dry season. All quite remarkable. There were fires during the summer, but fortunately not on the scale of last summer.

      Delete
  3. Sally Murphy10 April 2021 at 12:49

    Beautiful Alan. I love the idea of sitting inside the edges of Autumn like it is a warm blanket, or a slightly open book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alan j Wright11 April 2021 at 10:42

      Thank you Sally. The idea of sitting inside the edges of autumn was a notion I easily embraced.

      Delete
  4. Cathy10 April 2021 at 22:04

    Oh, autumn. How wonderful to pause and take it in in all its beauty. Savoring it to prepare for what is to come. From its mellow light to crisp air, it brings its own comfort. Your ending made me smile as you "reach for the books."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alan j Wright11 April 2021 at 10:45

      Thank you Cathy. It's good to pause and appreciate. The mellowness of autumn always evokes Keats' famous opening words -'Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness...'

      Delete
  5. Linda Mitchell11 April 2021 at 05:59

    This is a lovely, lovely goodbye. I'm sorry that summer is gone and fall is slipping. I always feel a sadness in that. Your poem brings that up in me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alan j Wright11 April 2021 at 10:47

      Thank you Linda. Your observations remind me that with the inevitable change that comes with the seasons, we do feel a sense of loss in saying farewell.

      Delete
  6. Karen Edmisten 12 April 2021 at 00:20

    I love "sitting inside the edges of autumn" — it conjures an image of perfect enclosure (and pairs perfectly
    with the Henry Miller quote.) Autumn is my favorite time of year. (Although, the older I get, the more I appreciate the rebirth of spring and summer. :))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alan j Wright23 April 2021 at 12:45

      You and I share a love of Autumn Karen. I'm glad you enjoyed the analogy I employed in my poem.

      Delete
  7. Bridget Magee12 April 2021 at 18:29

    Your poem is "absolute cracker", Alan. I, too, find Autumn magical and your close attention to the "block of mellow days" is a delight to read. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alan j Wright23 April 2021 at 12:46

      Thank you for your generous response Bridget. I appreciate your feedback for my poetic efforts. Magical Autumn indeed...

      Delete

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