Rustle Of Orange

I walk beneath the oaks in their autumn
rustle of orange flames burning summer
from limbs wondering if the robin’s song
still clings to its abandoned nest or has
the wind swallowed the memory of rebirth.

The sky above me is a cloud of wings
chasing a resting place where snowflakes
have never frozen their place in vocabulary,
the mating call is silent, home is a gypsy camp
waiting for instinct to find north again.

In this beautiful landscape of dying I collect
visuals to charm me through the skeleton hours
of frost when daylight is a mere thought
between bookends of midnight and prayers for spring.



 ©Susie Clevenger 2014


This is written for Margaret's Play It Again Toads #10 I chose to revisit Kerry's A Toads favo(u)rite Poem which featured the poet Dylan Thomas, whose style I amateurishly tried to emulate.

Comments

Kerry O'Connor said…
This is the perfect poem for northern October! Your use of juxtaposition is stellar:

In this beautiful landscape of dying...

I see the keen eye of observation and the rich palette of the poet in this piece, Susie.
brudberg said…
This is perfect for the mood today.. The bluesy feeling of a late autumn.. really something to give me some hope for tomorrow.
I love this- the imagery is that of an artist and your descriptions are unique- songs clinging to nests, wind swallowing memory, the sky as a cloud of wings, daylight between bookends of midnight and prayers for spring. Rich.
Hannah said…
Beautifully written and read, Susie, (such a treat to hear you read this!). I love this line, "In this beautiful landscape of dying" among many. :)
Wolfsrosebud said…
after coming in from an out-door fall nap and reading this... totally was energized to write... this was a beautiful piece... whether you got the Dylan thing or not... it captured all the senses... great job
Anonymous said…
I echo (Grandmother)Mary - your poem is a sensory delight.
Susan said…
I love this reflection on the visuals you love so much. I hear your artist's eye that sees shape and mass and life and death!
Ella said…
Bravo! Dylan would cheer~

I love the depth and the way you painted our vision-beautifully done!
Sherry Blue Sky said…
I love the "beautiful landscape of dying"....your imagery in this poem is as vibrant as autumn itself.......love the closing lines so much!
rallentanda said…
There is a sense of dread of losing the day light in this poem and already thinking about Spring.
humbird said…
Love the beautiful images of your poem, Susie. One of my fav. lines "wondering if the robin’s song
still clings to its abandoned nest or has
the wind swallowed the memory of rebirth."
Nice to hear you, reading the poem...the melancholia in the air... x
Margaret said…
I adore the whole beautiful poem - You have plucked the essence of the color "orange" from its soul, I think. Wonderful hearing you read it !