I took this photo on a September holiday several years ago. It’s a lake along the Sunshine Coast Highway, between Sechelt , B.C. and the Earl’s Cove ferry terminal. It was perfectly still; the air was absolutely breathless. That sense of peace, as in rest from labour and waiting is what I often feel on fall days.
This poem is submitted to Poetry Friday, hosted today by Marjorie at Paper Tigers.
Violet,
I love the photo and the poem. Lucky you to be experiencing fall. Yes, the trees are dropping their gowns.
Thanks so much, Joy! Actually every fall I realize again that I really like fall. It’s a lovely time of year in so many ways, isn’t it?
Absolutely beautiful. That’s all I can say!
You’ve said loads… thank you, Matt!
It’s lovely to think of the trees being at peace, having done their work and in need of rest, Violet. Your poem looks beautiful with the photo!
Thanks Linda! I’m glad you think the poem and photo go well together. I’m having fun, trying to put up the two together in some of my postings.
Your images extend the quietness into my soul, Violet. They encourage me to “no longer feel guilty” about what I have not accomplished but to just acknowledge that I have “added another ring” and that is enough. Superb.
Joy, I love that this connects with you in that way. Your way of expressing what you felt added to my understanding of my own piece… has that ever happened to you (someone else’s reading of your own work adds to your understanding of it)?
Joining the chorus to say beautiful, Violet!
Oh, it’s beautiful – and I love the photo too.
What a lovely poem. Beautiful pairing with your photo!
Our trees are just starting to turn, in preparation “to undress for sleep.” LOVE that image!!
Happy Fall!!!
Beautiful. Makes me miss seasons!
Thank you so much Tabatha, Jama, Mary Lee and Ruth!! Hope you’re all enjoying this calmer season. (Or is it calmer… sometimes the startup of fall activities adds to the frenzy!)
Really nice, Violet, although I should come up with a better word than “nice”–it’s just that my brain is so tired right now. Part of the reason I love it is this poem came into my mailbox at just the right moment–time to shut down. Lovely job you did–concise image, clear. Had you flowered it up with purple language it would not be the little corner of tranquility that you made of it. Thank you.
Thanks tons, Tracy. Often I bemoan my lack of flowery language. Maybe this time it was okay?
I think it’s part of your honest “voice” to not be flowery. It might sound contrived if you threw in words that aren’t “you.”
Poetry is about so much more than pretty (or startling, or clever) description. Hemingway made prose poetic using simple language; Frost made poetry out of what seemed to be everyday speech.
I’ve remember when I was reading your poems a few years ago, thinking fairly frequently that you’ve managed to capture a lyrical moment, evoke a mood, take me somewhere.. You sure did it this time.