when maple trees catch fire
so do my words conspire
to gather as grey crows
piercing dry sky in throes
why are lands snarled at war
when none can square the score
as more heads will rot, roll
i wear black gown for fall
my hand holds a feather
soft, when sewn together
can be blue shawl of peace
when will we learn to cease
using faith as charade
as each leaf turns red jade
Wild Birds Burning
Photography by Brooke Shaden
Posted for OpenlinkNight of D'verse Poets Pub - Thanks for the visit ~
oo i missed this one the other day in my perusal of her works....we can weave peace out of most anything...but we choose war...and you are so right in how we often use faith to justify our battles...
ReplyDeleteToo bad we never learn to cease, faith and greed has caused more wars than anything else. Nice rhyme too at your zoo
ReplyDeleteTo see the beauty of the fall - the cruelty of war seems so much harder to bear.. so much heavier.. and somehow one wonder how the carrion birds are fed. Love the short-line sonnet you have used here.. very effective.
ReplyDeleteOh, I enjoyed the comparison of fall with the state of the world right now. Hoping for that blue shawl of peace.
ReplyDeleteLove the rhyme scheme and the flow
ReplyDeleteThis is glorious. Love the feather, the blue shawl of peace, the red jade of the leaf. Glorious imagery....a poignant commentary on the state of the political world as opposed to the natural one. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteIt seems a dark cloak is covering the whole world at the moment, far too much hatred and pain. At times I prefer to have my eyes on the red leaves of autumn.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part was using faith for charade..it makes me so sick to see it..i could run through the streets literally naked screaming..stop..just stop...would anyone 'hear' me..probably not..but that's not going to stop me from saying just stop..;)
ReplyDeleteand like the seasons, we return to this dark place again and again, all for naught...such beautiful imagery here to convey those feelings of frustration and hopelessness.
ReplyDeleteMy, that photo inspired you, Grace....so expressive your poem in it's brevity and ryhme and meaning.
ReplyDeleteGreat, poised, commanding use of colour and contrasts to express such fiercely resonating thoughts!
ReplyDeletethe shawl of peace...i wish more people would wear it... love how you wove this together grace
ReplyDeleteI love that opening line and the tumble down of colour like ash...and yet a sense of fighting it...keeping safe from it to make the world a little better even if by the breadth of a feather.
ReplyDeletethe metaphor of a world on fire! well said.
ReplyDeleteI too missed this picture-- of hers the other day--loved this Grace
ReplyDeleteVery timely, a different side of autumn. I love the style, the form, and especially the third stanza with the feather and the blue shawl of peace. Bery masterful, Grace!
ReplyDeleteBrooke's images do inspire, our poem is rife with both sadness & truth, & AABB to thee, as your short-line sonnet becomes both warning & icon; for on this day we are saturated with the WAR news, distracted by football as the NFL seems to be usurping all else on the tube. Liked this one a lot.
ReplyDeleteWow, out here on the trail, this is already the 4th poem of Autumn; just a few days in, & we poets are being struck by its significance.
ReplyDeleteYour blend of two themes here Grace is beautifully done - a real treat to read, though it left me with a heavy heart - as it should and as it intended...
ReplyDeleteThis one's heavy with truth Grace. So sad that false faiths create bloody wars which no one wins. I like the unexpected theme you drew out of this artwork.
ReplyDeleteGrace, I posted something in response to your last prompt at Dverse. My internet went down and I was unable to post anything 'til now. Hope that's ok.
Simply great and beautiful with a message that may never cease.
ReplyDeleteSuch fantastic images Grace. If only we could stop the season of war, wouldn't that be nice.
ReplyDelete... even the jaded leaves turn colour ... as soon as we understand that, there will be peace
ReplyDeleteInteresting. Very imaginative with a lot of vivid ideals and imagery.
ReplyDeletereally liked the texture in this... some great contrast
ReplyDeletewhy are lands snarled at war
ReplyDeletewhen none can square the score
Just goes to show there are no winners in a war. But still greed and power override such considerations! Great word craft Grace!
Hank
a sonnet of lament ~
ReplyDeletemaple trees catching fire -it's autumn for you guys now. The earth is probably in it's autumn too due to man's warring on it and with each other. One laments.
ReplyDeleteSome powerful thoughts Grace, very well done. Enjoyed this one.
ReplyDeleteGrace, you have spoken the truth with such dire "grace."
ReplyDeleteOh - love the photo at the top of your blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks Liz ~ That's from the marshlands in Florida this summer ~
Deletethis feels like a warm autumn gift...
ReplyDeleteI was pleasantly surprised by the direction you took after I read the title. A cry for peace.
ReplyDelete"as more heads will rot, roll
i wear black gown for fall"
^Love these lines!
Powerful, I love the first stanza and the way at the end it comes to red...also love the image you chose with your words.
ReplyDeleteI like the reference to 'using faith as a charade'. Makes us think. Also love the painting. Is it yours.
ReplyDeleteThe photography belongs to Brooke Shaden ~
DeleteIf you are referring to my header, its a picture taken during our Florida vacation ~ Thanks ~
"when maple trees catch fire
ReplyDeleteso do my words conspire"
Loved these first two lines, they caught me and pulled me into this. Beautiful!
Also like the dark image shared, your words compliment it well.
Oh… seems this sentiment is as old as time. Beuatifully rendered with references to color in each stanza - the jade red of the maple tree … looking forward to that, but I'd swap it for a blue shawl of peace any day.
ReplyDeleteStunned. It all swirled in me and then focused when I saw the illustration! O, yes, pierce the sky, don the black dress, make the shawl of peace--but beware taking it for faith. This all could be mid-autumn itself, speaking to us through the maple leaves.
ReplyDeleteGood poem, a message to read. Perfect--the shawl of peace, it's wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI like the message of your poem. If only we all offer a shawl of peace... :-)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this piece. Haven't seen one like this from you in some time. Well done and as always, thank you. Enjoy your week!
ReplyDeleteA timely piece, Grace. Oh for peace in this burning world.
ReplyDeleteUnder the specter of war, I've barely noticed the leaves change. Thank you for reminding me.
ReplyDelete