GOODBYE FAIR OCTOBER

Photo by S. Auberle

NOVEMBER

There is always that last day

the one you never want to see

and yet, what is lovlier?

This is the day before the day

when November settles in.

This is the day out in the woods

when last silver moths

are winging from moss to leaf,

the day of the last chorus

of swans in the bay.

Today last leaves are letting go,

tumbling down to the beckoning earth.

This is the day

I watch a proud mink

trotting into the forest,

fur gleaming dark wet,

a fish in its mouth

wriggling in the ecstasy

of November's little deaths.

A slightly different version of this poem appeared in "Crow Ink."

AFTER THE STORM

Photo by S. Auberle

I may have posted this poem before, but it seems perfect for today, after the wild days of wind we've had this week. This was first featured on Haibun Today.

STORM

All night a roaring of waves slamming onto the shore. All night a Wagnerian symphony of wind and water; now and then the thunder of a falling tree. I reach for you, burrowed deep under quilts. Through the night we lie there, listening, satiated with music of enormous gods. Finally, at dawn, the wind rests. Sun lifts over the porch, light gleaming like old coins spilled across the floor. At breakfast we watch heavy trucks rolling by, bearing broken limbs and trees. The sky is that color of diamond blue found only the morning after.

bodies of trees

their fragrance sweet

even in death

YOU KNOW BY NOW

"After Monet" - digital photo/painting by S. Auberle

lines from a poem in progress...

you know by now

that things

are not always

what they seem

that leafless branches

are not

the forever end of summer...

NO ARTIST IS PLEASED

Collage by S. Auberle

"No artist is pleased.

There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction,

a blessed unrest that keeps us marching

and makes us more alive than others."

~ Martha Graham

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Unless you seek art

as a man whose hair is on fire

seeks a pond,

don't pursue it."

~ Joseph Campbell

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I have woven a parachute

out of everything broken."

~ William Stafford

AUTUMN IS A FANCY WOMAN

Photo by S. Auberle

Yes, I've posted this poem before, but long ago, and it remains one of my favorites...

AUTUMN IS A FANCY WOMAN

walking the streets tonight,

a lady whose lover has gone,

turning her dry and brittle

as that icy shriek of wind

bending golden grasses

down onto cold earth.

Autumn walks

under the waning moon,

or in the fading hours of light,

weeping for that summer love

who sipped her like the finest wine,

whirled and twirled her heart,

vowing their dance would never end.

Autumn is the woman

in gaudy red silk,

there on the street corner

under that lamp

holding off the winter

of her days, tattered

leaves swirling at her feet.

~ mimi

A FEW LINES

Photo by S. Auberle

a few lines from a new poem...

The body hungers

I believe, for beauty

as well as food.

If my mother

who loved beauty,

returned to me this day,

I would wrap her in my arms,

rest my cheek on her hair

the exact texture

and color of milkweed

shining in the sun...

SOMETHING THERE IS IN US

Photo/painting by S. Auberle

something there is in us

needs an island

for once, it is said,

we lived on Great Turtle's back...

~ mimi