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Open Poetry #23
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A November Day
| Open Poetry #23 |
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A November Day |
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RSWells Member Elite
since 2001-06-17
Posts 2533
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That 42 degree day found the Merrimack full and towering Red Maple's broad leaves mostly fallen and burnt in death. Yet some splay in rust with yellow veins. A pair of New Hampshire state employees walked off the late lunch of the near retired, past Franklin Pierce's grave as cool winds ushered on November's debris. One reach down to snag a leaf from the low growing Checkerberry, pinching it to draw it's wintergreen scent. A slightly warmer Scranton found young mothers pass the last school hours in Nay Aug Park. Littered with dark brown acorns it's Northern Red Oak skirted with deep furrowed bark, branches still clinging to most it's bright red, sharp point leaves. Large Fothergilla shrubs display blue-green and russet leaves. Two boys play hooky in the tallest oak after tiring of skipping rocks across the Lackawanna River. A third generation dairy farmer sat quiet on an Appalachian ridge over Henry Lake. He lean against the marbled trunk of a Paperbark Maple and watched the V shaped valley for a deer. In the lower 47 degree vale on loamy soil grew Wintersweet, sparsely displaying sulpher yellow flowers. He drew on his Lucky Strike not caring if he saw prey. He was content with the fragrance and peace of his beloved Tennessee. In Dallas it was 58 degrees. A limousine sped to a hospital with a dead man and his pretty wife. "Happy people have no history" - French Proverb |
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| © Copyright 2002 Richard S. Wells jr. - All Rights Reserved | |||
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regards2you Member Elite
since 2002-10-01
Posts 3940California |
Oh my goodness. The last two lines were a total surprise, worth a couple re-reads. Very much enjoyed. Warm regards, Pat  ..without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.. |
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Cpat Hair
since 2001-06-05
Posts 11793 |
you do this well RS... well enough to make me envious at times ( smiling) We that are old enough do remember where we were and what we were doing. I was in a class room and remember the teacher crying after she told us what had happened and that we were to go to home then... beautiful job with the imagery here and of tying the scenes together. |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
I can not recall a single thing in my life that has stayed with me like this event in history. It's funny you wrote this as I just watched a special on Larry King as he interviewed the wife of the Governor who rode in the car that day. She too was thinking just ordinary things never dreaming she was in the middle of what would change history and become an event people would grieve for the rest of thier lives. The tears flowed in the classroom I was in that day, and I have a tear in my eye right now, and probably will every time I am reminded of this event. I enjoyed this reminder to honor a great man. Extremely well done, and the imagery in this was wonderfully vivid. I recall loosing my breath then as I did now reading this. |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Richard What a great job you did with this...the contrasts of nature and event, the imagery, the power of the last lines. Very well done! |
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nakdthoughts Member Laureate
since 2000-10-29
Posts 19200Between the Lines |
Makes one sigh...in memory of the last. M |
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Seymour Tabin Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720Tamarac Fla |
RSWells Can't add much to the accolades above, but you have my respect as a writer. |
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WinterWren Senior Member
since 2002-12-01
Posts 1044...Coming to |
Very descriptive poem! I enjoyed it alot. But of course you don't need little 'ol me to tell you it's good. Laugh often, love much, live well. WinterWren |
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Enchantress Member Empyrean
since 2001-08-14
Posts 35113Canada eh. |
The last two lines jarred me out of my daydream of late autumn as quickly as the bullet that killed Kennedy. How well I remember...the day, the moment..the feeling of shocked disbelief. Well done poet sir. ~Hugs~ ~ Life is too short not to believe in Santa Claus ~ |
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RSWells Member Elite
since 2001-06-17
Posts 2533 |
I, myself was on my knees in parochial school, at church. The nuns passed, rushed with importance, the whispered word that "our president has been shot". I recall vividly the cover up shooting live that Sunday morning of Oswald the scapegoat and will not rest easy till the truth is told. Certainly this was a mere mortal with all the inheirent faults but WHO KILLED JOHN KENNEDY? |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Mine is reminiscent of Cpat and yours, Richard. I've read too much to think that so many passings were naught but accidental...there is too much rustling among the leaves... |
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garysgirl
since 2002-09-29
Posts 19237Florida, USA |
Richard, it was really excellent the way you described this. I, also, was completely involved with the way you were painting the picture of the leaves, boy sitting in tree, etc., and then there was the last. I knew right away that you were speaking of President Kennedy. Thanks for sharing. "Love makes the world go around" |
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Sandpiper Senior Member
since 2002-06-15
Posts 738land of flora and fauna |
I moved through this in slow motion, enjoying the scenery..until the whirlwind ending--love the structure, quite powerful--(would have loved to know the reaction of the class to this one!). And I doubt we'll ever know, at least not in our lifetimes. [This message has been edited by Sandpiper (12-05-2002 06:06 AM).] |
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