Friday, October 13, 2006

Autumn Palette ... for Poetry Thursday

The Rivanna River, early October, 2006

Autumn is such a nostalgic time for me. It is a time for remembering all of life's gifts, especially the gift of a life partner who, like a fine wine, only grows more wonderful with age.


Autumn Palette
for Bill

Across the river trees flare
yellow orange gold
the flow of water a painting
awash in late day light
ever changing in intensity
as ruffles of wind eddy the surface
invisible fingers at play

A walk we took years ago
before we became us
in woods of scarlet sugar maples
Vermont air crisp and clear
the lake before us blue shimmering
deep and endless as the sky
we wandered under
projecting our future together
on the white canvas
of a passing cloud

We were young and limber
ready to climb the mountains
flame red in the distance
never imagining this day
you and I burnished by time
settled on a river bank
reflecting in October light

jzr

11 comments:

Joyce Ellen Davis said...

Nice picture and words. A perfect ending for an autumn poem!

Catherine said...

I love "burnished by time". What a beautiful river you have near you!

Anonymous said...

So beautiful and bittersweet - like the season itself. I'm a bit teary-eyed, I'm afraid :)

mareymercy said...

SO many people inspired by autumn lately. Love all the color imagery in this piece.

Anonymous said...

absolutly breathtaking..miss the noth in the fall..NH..only the fall beauty though..lol...thanks for sharing ..m

Crafty Green Poet said...

A beautiful poem, I love the way you're comapring autunmn the season with the stage the relationship is at. I particularly like the line: 'before we became us'. Lovely.

Tammy Brierly said...

So romantic, loving and beautiful! I'm so happy for you guys :)

Anonymous said...

Everyone should be so lucky. Surrounded by such beauty and such love.

Deirdre said...

I love the deep romance of this, a commitment "burnished by time".

paris parfait said...

Wonderful poem and photo. A beautiful memory shared.

Anonymous said...

"...
on the white canvas
of a passing cloud
..."

I have too many holes in my mind net to hold on to all the inspiring imanges I've had lately.

Pehaps it's the emotional release from the election that we dare to dream our dreams again, curried with a ray or hope.

It's a soul trap to pause and wonder how our lives would have been different, ... much different, had your Bill not walked into our lives with his obstinate friend, Hernando. Our journeys have been so full with all the blessings from your sweetie pie. Imagine anyone else who would dare chuckle about the folley of our stern and sometimes raging mad father.

"Le temps en va, madame,
le tempms en va.
Mais, nous nous en allons."

God bless you, Bill
Happy Birthday !

Z