we trim rose bushes,
yellow perennials
cutting quickly heads & half-
bitten leaves
into paper bags we weigh
down branches, fallen petals
pressing all the lungs of summer
into one silent book
(autumnal inhale)
we divide the sun
light
leaving the wind to pocket
seeds
Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Quadrille, hosted by De Jackson. This is a 44 word post with the chosen word, QUICK. Thanks for the visit.
Terrific quadrille, with your ode to autumn. You hooked me with /fallen petals pressing all the lungs of summer into one silent book/--great word-smithing. Lovely way to start the dVerse week.
ReplyDeleteI love how you work the garden works so well using the petals into the book... You make those last days of summer seems so special...
ReplyDelete"autumnal inhale" --- love that! Autumn is my favorite season -- and love how she dresses up in reds, golds and oranges!
ReplyDeleteGah. This:
ReplyDelete"fallen petals
pressing all the lungs of summer
into one silent book"
Heavens. That's just stunning.
An action-filled autumn quadrille, Grace! I love the lines:
ReplyDelete'...fallen petals
pressing all the lungs of summer
into one silent book'
and
'leaving the wind to pocket
seeds'.
I always wait until first frost to cut and snip my garden, refusing to accept that its days are almost past. ...fallen petals
ReplyDeletepressing all the lungs of summer
into one silent book'
This simply gorgeous Grace.
Oooh -- that is wonderful. I love "leaving the wind to pocket
ReplyDeleteseeds"
This has a lovely, tired-peaceful autumnal feel to it, when the air has a sharp edge even when the sun is still warm.
ReplyDeleteThat last stanza is breathtaking. This is what I had planned to do today but I procrastinate and wrote a poem instead!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful word-painting. I love the seasonal mood and tone. And this bit is particularly delightful: "fallen petals/pressing all the lungs of summer/into one silent book".
ReplyDelete-HA
Nice description of pressing summer memories: "pressing all the lungs of summer"
ReplyDeleteI can feel autumn in your words
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful words and imagery. I love "pressing all the lungs of summer
ReplyDeleteinto one silent book"
Gosh this is absolutely stunning! Love; "fallen petals pressing all the lungs of summer into one silent book."❤️
ReplyDeleteA lovely autumn poem - I imagine yard work being done cleaning up summer debris making room for autumn.
ReplyDeleteYou've drawn a beautiful word picture of autumn. Applause from here!
ReplyDeleteStill divides to clean as the seasons divide on up
ReplyDeleteBeautiful lines...with special mention for lungs of summer, (autumn inhale) and the wind pocketing the seeds. Your tucking ‘quickly’ in at the start really gives a feel of autumn busyness in the garden.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words for the season.
ReplyDeletelungs of summer... pocketing of seeds... LOVELY.
ReplyDeletei feel the urgency on your words, made me see that fall is a time for quick preparation for many things
ReplyDeletethe second stanza is so word perfect - and choosing the word "lung" is so original, so apt for condensing the actual breath of autumn as it seems to sweep in, for now ...
ReplyDeletethis is a most excellent 44 written in tribute to the late summer garden Grace - it's absolutely wonderful, from start to finish!
Amazing imagery.
ReplyDeleteNicely done, autumn is a sure win!!
ReplyDeletewow. So excellent! "Pressing the lungs of summer into one silent book"
ReplyDeleteI'm not ready for summer to end and fall to come. I'm clinging to the last shreds of my favorite season. This line made me feel sad as a result, though I love the imagery:
ReplyDeletepressing all the lungs of summer
into one silent book
I really like "pressing all the lungs of summer into one silent book" - that's so revealing.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem for the transition into fall.
ReplyDeleteLovely poem...autumn is my favorite season...just like the garden prepping, one sort of reposes after the heat of summer and readies oneself for the winter to come...as many have commented "fallen petals
ReplyDeletepressing all the lungs of summer
into one silent book" is an absolute amazing image...beautiful write
Love this post of gardening, for each season has its' own needs for nature. Perhaps, in the future as my life changes once again, I may have my own small garden to tend. Hope you are well.
ReplyDeleteAutumn's unique beauty...preserved. I inhaled your last stanza with joy, Grace!
ReplyDeleteI love the metaphors here. The image of the wind pocketing seeds is sublime.😊
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful. I like the pause of the "autumnal inhale" contrasting with the busy gardening.
ReplyDelete