Cynthia Buell Thomas

The Rustle of Autumn

by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Friday 25th September 2009 5:17 pm (first posted Tuesday 15th September 2009 10:39 am)

The Rustle of Autumn

With fine dark limbs alluring shadows

Through the rags of sallow summer,

The shy trees

Are whispering restlessly,

Anticipating

The fretful winds of autumn

To strip away their shriveled leaves

And shower them dryly

Gliding

Whirling

Twisting

Down

To the musty pavements underfoot,

Into the sodden gardens

Where secret roses still glow.

The seductive trees grow

Each day

More beautiful

In their black-boughed nudity.

Cynthia Buell Thomas

(unabashedly lyrical)

◄ Three A.M. on an Old Computer

The Peacock ►

Comments

Tim Ellis

Sun 14th Nov 2010 17:31

Ah yes, great minds think alike it seems...! Evocative and provocative. I like the experiments with layout and font sizes.

Steve Regan

Tue 29th Sep 2009 18:05

Delicious deciduous decay (the first stage of renewal) nicely evoked with this, Cynthia, and I'm glad you mentioned those stragglers, the roses, some of which still 'glow' even as December hastens. There's a beautiful 'love lost" song by Roddy FRame which includes the lines... "Are the leaves turning red / Where you are today?"

Jon

Mon 28th Sep 2009 10:28

Lovely poem,with beautiful imagery!
Thanx for your comments on my poem also!

winston plowes

Sat 26th Sep 2009 00:58

Hi again Cynthia... This must be one of the most commonly visited poetic themes. I have struggled to tackle it without introducing cliches and well trodden trails. Your piece has done this admirably. Love the Sallows reference (They are a wonderful portent of summer. You give the trees a personality and the last line is magic! Hurrah. Win

Cynthia Buell Thomas

Fri 25th Sep 2009 17:19

With many thanks for Graham's totally correct comment, I have made a change. Sorry for leaping forward, but I had to do it. It's been bugging me for weeks.

<Deleted User> (5646)

Thu 17th Sep 2009 00:22

I read this yesterday and thought it wonderful then. I still love it today.

Janet.x

Francine

Wed 16th Sep 2009 17:38

Beautifully written Cynthia...
Love the imagery and use of metaphors...
The underlying message is exquisitely woven through : )

Nichola Burrows

Wed 16th Sep 2009 12:41

Beautifully expressed, I felt the trees' vulnerability as they were slowly undressed by the onset of autumn. I wonder what joy or pain the icy cold fingers of winter will bring? Very sensous imagery.

You could take this further.

Dave Bradley

Tue 15th Sep 2009 18:53

I liked this Cynthia. Interesting that you think tress can become more beautiful as they lose their leaves.

Graham Sherwood

Tue 15th Sep 2009 14:03

Cynthia, a lovely idea and topical too. I would have liked line four to be closer to line one. I liked rags of sallow summer but got confused by the musty paths that conjures up dry and smelly and the sodden gardens that are soaking wet. For me descriptions need an explanation. Why were the trees shy, because they were whispering perhaps? etc. Graham

Cate Greenlees

Tue 15th Sep 2009 12:42

I love your "unabashedly lyrical" Cynthia! Excellent descriptive passages... and as I sit here at my pc looking out at the onset of Autumn and the gold decked trees, very topical too.
I like the lay out of the poem . I think it works well, and it`s good to try something different.
Cate xx

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