In honor of the changing season, into Fall, here are a few poems to enjoy!
W. S. Merwin (1927 – Present)
September Plowing
For seasons the walled meadow
south of the house built of its stone
grows up in shepherd’s purse and thistles
the weeds share April as a secret
finches disguised as summer earth
click the drying seeds
mice run over rags of parchment in August
the hare keeps looking up remembering
a hidden joy fills the songs of the cicadas
two days’ rain wakes the green in the pastures
crows agree and hawks shriek with naked voices
on all sides the dark oak woods leap up and shine
the long stony meadow is plowed at last and lies
all day bare
I consider life after life as treasures
oh it is the autumn light
that brings everything back in one hand
the light again of beginnings
the amber appearing as amber
The Falling Of The Leaves
AUTUMN is over the long leaves that love us,
And over the mice in the barley sheaves;
Yellow the leaves of the rowan above us,
And yellow the wet wild-strawberry leaves.
The hour of the waning of love has beset us,
And weary and worn are our sad souls now;
Let us patt, ere the season of passion forget us,
With a kiss and a tear on thy drooping brow.
CA Guilfoyle· Jun 23
Orchard
Drops of reddish rain on skins
slid dripping, pooled in leaves curled
Steps on stems break, dawn’s awakening
Little wrecks of nests unhinge
twine thru twigs
Ladders leaned
steps for splintered fingers
Blossomy buds plucked thru rungs
Breezy days go shining
Apple worms burrow
for beaking birds
Bees have all flown homeward
In September’s slanted sun
we gather sweetest reds
for pressing
CA Guilfoyle· Aug 28
Salmon stream
The perfect slanting of sun
tundra cotton leaning northward
salmon spawning homeward
golden grass – waved in winds
The cast of red autumn’s spell