“Listen!
The wind is rising,
and the air is wild with leaves,
We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!”
We are still in the thick of summer in Lake Tahoe. Wildflowers still dance at the higher elevations. But the lopey green mule ear fades; its edges are brittle, clacking with any breeze. There will come a day, perhaps a few weeks from now, when the season will begin to turn.
I love those days.
I love them because it takes a bit of silence to notice.
My poem aims to capture those four silent moments –winter/spring, spring/summer, summer/fall, fall/winter.
I needed silence to find them today. Silence to try to recapture the glimpse that is a change of season.
And then THIS arrived in the mail from Molly Hogan!
Not simply a summer poem swap, but a poem care package that included her beautiful poem, three photo notecards, and a delightful Maine-covered “jotbook.”
Molly’s poem, “Seeking Silence” was the invitation I needed to conjure those moments from the past year. Thank you, Molly!
Picture a Season
winter snow recedes
a forest floor thaws
unseen ice, underground
mounds carve a path
to spring
~~~~
tamp and damp of dirt
stuck to toe and heel
spring in step, in mountain’s air
pine and fir
and chinquapin
~~~
bats swoop
to sip a drink at dusk
shadows wing — tribble-flit —
near my ear, disappear
into summer night
~~~
Mule ear yellow bends
at summer’s end, reluctant
leaves crackle under boot
cones gnawed
needles browned, signal
fall has come
~~~
©draft, Patricia J. Franz
My Nevermores poetry partner, Marcie Flinchum Atkins is hosting this week’s RoundUp. She has taken on a CRAZY August challenge that encourages participants to read a book of poetry every day in the month of August! It’s called The Sealey Challenge and I will cheer her on from the sidelines! Thank you, Marcie, for your constant inspiration!
Patricia Franz is a kidlit writer and published poet. She believes children, dogs, and sourdough have a lot to teach us about life, joy, and wonder. She has raised two boys, four dogs, and holds a master’s degree in Theology with a focus on children’s spirituality. Patricia, her husband, her Bernese Mountain dog, Bonny, and her sourdough starter split their time between the Arizona desert and the Sierra Nevada mountains. 
Patricia, your poem in my mailbox this week was SUCH delightful mail to receive! I love the line, “tamp and damp of dirt.”
Marcie, I will have to send you the video of that turtle in the lilypond!
Patricia, thank you for this poem, a seasonal journey. I particularly enjoyed the lines –
‘at summer’s end, reluctant
leaves crackle under boot…’
I thought the opening lines of your post were quite fitting in portraying the images of your summer. It took the reader into the scenes you are living.
Thank you, Alan. It took silence for me to find those scenes!
How wonderful! A poetry care package is such a great idea for so many friends and family members. I love that you point out the silence needed to notice the change. A beautiful catch.
Yes, Tabatha’s Summer Poem Swap has inspired all sorts of poetry generosity!
Lovely observant post, Patricia. I like “the lopey green mule ear fades; its edges are brittle, clacking with any breeze.” I feel like I am there with you, listening.
Molly’s package is delightful!
Thank you, Tabatha. And thank you for the Summer Poem Swap! It has been a continuous gift for me this summer, both the writing/giving and reading/receiving!
What a wonderful poetry package! And your season’s reflections are beautiful. I love that ice carving a path to spring!
Thank you, Laura. Tabatha’s Summer Poem Swap has inspired all sorts of generosity these past weeks.
Oh, Molly’s “Seeking Silence” was such a well-timed gifts for you. Isn’t that amazing? It inspired your beautiful in-between seasons poem. I especially loved the end of summer stanza: “reluctant / leaves crackle” and “gnawed /needles browned” — Invitation to autumn. Beautiful.
Thank you, Denise. Yes, “Seeking Silence” sits on my desk as my summer reminder to be still!
You got just what you needed to focus on those transition moments–and you captured each one in stillness. But heavens, Patricia, how dare you hint at the end of summer so early?! : )
No, we are in full-summer here in the mountains. In fact, the third stanza is really from a few evenings ago while we watched the bats fly in at dusk. But the turn-to-fall cometh… that fourth stanza is my memory of how I will know the particular day the season will turn. :). So continue to enjoy your summer, Heidi!
Patricia,
Congratulations on being published x2 this month! It is exciting, isn’t it? I was published in an earlier anthology with Janet and Sylvia, and I became an indie author in May by publishing my own chapbook of poetry. Your four season trasitional poem is amazing! You’ve captured so much about the seasons changing. As an environmental educator, I love this type of thing. I did a presentation first graders on Signs of Spring last year. And your poetry package from Molly is a treasure! All in all you had a great poetry week!
Thank you, Carol. I am really thrilled to be part of the HOW WE series by PomeloBooks. Sylvia and Janet have been incredible cheerleaders and so generous in sharing their knowledge.
Patricia, I’m delighted to know that my package arrived and fell on fertile ground. Your poem is delightful and I really appreciate how your skillful word choice incorporates wonderful internal sounds. Thanks for the reminder to linger in the seasons and try to catch each on the cusp. What a worthy task that is, and one you’ve done beautifully in this poem! PS I’m especially fond of that second stanza!
Molly, your package continues to delight me. I’ve taken the photo cards as inspiration for some haiku and other free verse. Thank you, again, for your kindness.
Patricia, your opening paragraphs drew me into Your Lake Tahoe summer days. The images are lovely and offer such peace. it is wonderful that Molly offered you a taste of summer in Maine. Silence is a beautiful state to be in. I often yearn to go there. Summer’s end is perhaps different here in Virginia than in Nevada. Your image is strong: reluctant/leaves crackle under boot. While I love the sound of crackling leaves, it will not come for several weeks/maybe months.
Yes, as I mentioned, we too are still in the thick of summer. But the days shorten… Enjoy them!