Tuesday, September 15, 2009



Far Too Clear

There are pumpkins in the fields awaiting faces. Patient, sedentary, they sit in their orangeness neath a low hanging moon.....

The acorns have begun to fall. Tiny and green, in tophats, they patter the roof like buckshot, giggling as they hurtle down - rolling, rolling, to a final stop under the purple cabbage leaves.....

Equal in size to the paw prints of wolfhounds, the horrid spiders traipse across their webs of silver lace, while overnight, a neighborhood of downy white toadstools has appeared under the magnolia tree - ample seating for any future prince who ventures up from the stream at the bottom of the hill in search of a life-altering kiss....

Late in the cool afternoon we hear the geese approaching. A feathered boomerang offering up baroque chants, in its unknown tongue of the season....

And the mezzo-soprano of the old silver teakettle sings much more frequently now....

Man’s calendar wants to wait for one more week but we know better.
The signs are far too clear.
Summer has at last departed and Autumn is now here.

Watercolour by Charles Russell Loomis

55 comments:

  1. But I'm not quite ready Pamela.....How true that the seasons wait for no man; I can really feel the autumn chill in the air now and it wont be long before I start the fires in the evening, xv.

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  2. Like Vicki said, I'm not quite ready! However, the teakettle certainly is whistling a lot more these days. I love that Charles Russell Loomis painting!

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  3. What a wonderful painting! Sadly, we have no pumpkin fields round here. But we do have cobwebs!

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  4. A feathered boomerang and a neighbourhood of toadstools? I absolutely love it - if this is Autumn Pamela - bring it one - the sooner the better. Beautiful.

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  5. What a lovely poem and one I'd never read before. Autumn is well and truly here in the hills - I hope there is some lingering warmth for Edward in Georgia.

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  6. A beautiful painting and it illustrates the gentle chime of your words.

    "in search of a life-altering kiss...." is quite possibly one of the most beautiful lines you have written. I wonder if I shall ever experience such a... nevermind.

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  7. What a lovely word picture you paint! It is not quite that autumny here yet, but your post makes the anticipation of it even more pleasant than already!

    Love the painting too - I've not heard of the artist, and will look him up.

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  8. Autumn, and all of its glory are eagerly anticipated in our house. We start with harvest festivals from the middle of September on which lead to Michaelmas on the 29th of September, followed by more harvesting of pumpkins, apples, walnuts, and hazelnuts, and then Halloween. Then it's on to Martinmas and Thanksgiving, St. Nicholas Day, Saint Lucia's Day, and suddenly it's Christmas Eve. It is truly the most magical time of the year for myself and for my two little darlings.

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  9. Go to the top of the class, your wordcraft is just pure evocative perfection. I wish I might join in with your season, though spring is beautiful, autumn is best.

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  10. Beautiful painting! I am over halfway through 'The Little Stranger'! It is SO good! EEEEE!!!!

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  11. beautifully written
    xo from les Gang

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  12. I love, love love that watercolour! Beautifully written and wonderful post. Thank you. Suzie. x :)

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  13. What a hauntingly beautiful painting.Will be reading The Little Stranger at the half time of grandson's football game. Thank you for recommending such a good read. May request more by this author. Lovely to read your short essays and view great works of art. I'm also an avid dog lover with a Scottie named Button.

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  14. Love it. It reminds me of the hayrides we'd go in Pennsylvania. There are some way cool pumpkin patches up there, Halloween is a BIG deal in the Pittsburgh area!
    ~Anne

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  15. A lovely description of autumn in your poem. Not much sign of it here yet except for lots of berries and fruit on trees and bushes, and the evenings are getting cooler.

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  16. After a blazing summer, I'm very ready for the fall season. It just doesn't seem to want to show its pretty face, although the trees in front of my house are starting to brown and shed. Still, I'm waiting for noticeably cooler temps, shorter days, and the perfect excuse to start making creamy soups again. Beautiful post!

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  17. Lovely words!

    Lovely illustration...

    "Man’s calendar wants to wait for one more week..." Ahhhh yes but... Man can not stay the turning of the Wheel of the Year. :-)

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  18. Beautiful. And a little creepy (please take that as a compliment). Yesterday was the first day it's actually "felt" like fall here, but the weatherman says we should expect near 100 degree temps again by this weekend. Grr.

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  19. My favorite season...and you paint the most beautiful picture of it Pamela. And I am ready. I wore a sweater all day today and I think we'll have a little fire tonight with our wine. Isn't it lovely?

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  20. it is indeed and how soon it sets in. i love the idea of those gigglling acorns raining down *ruthie*

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  21. I love the notion of acorns giggling as they fall.

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  22. Absolutely..and the sun is hsining here now but darkness is earlier..too early.

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  23. We're still having high temperatures. The squashes and pumpkins are still growing and spreading their vines. Not yet.

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  24. This is such a haunting painting - I think I'd be a little scared there in the moonlight!

    Yes, I hear the first green acorns rolling on the roof - they sound huge despite their tiny size. Some years they end up almost knee deep, well ankle deep perhaps - depends how long-legged one is!! Some years there are very few. We have a lot of oaks so are waiting for this year's flurry of acorn activity, followed by hoards of squirrels collecting and burying.

    Love Autumn - enjoying the early morning nip in the air.

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  25. Hi Pamela
    I'm back from a wonderful "wild West" vacation!
    I am looking forward to the cool crisp air and bright colors of autumn. It has always been my favorite season!

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  26. A beautiful word picture, - you make me feel all cosy and comfy and full of anticipation.

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  27. Wait! It's too soon! I'm not ready!

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  28. How beautiful, Pamela . . . I admire how keenly you observe the beauty, whimsy, and details of your world. Must be the painterly eye. Thank you for enriching our days with your lovely observations and words!

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  29. Pumpkins awaiting faces! I love it.

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  30. I am not ready!!!!!!!!!!!

    beautiful painting though!

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  31. beautiful painting
    I just love the fall!

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  32. Beautiful
    Our new little Princess arrived
    on the east coast born yesterday
    her name is Autumn.
    I love your posts
    Love and blessings♥

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  33. Lovely poem!
    And I'm ready for fall! This morning I have changed my summer dressing room into a winter dressing room!

    Greet

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  34. I saw a pumpkin patch all ready at the weekend. It gave me quite a fright as it was a blue sky sunny day. Yes Autumn is definately creeping in.

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  35. Your prose is wonderful, Pamela - I look forward to your words. My scottie pups and I are enjoying the cool morning walks and I'm looking forward to shuffling my feet in the fallen leaves. Takes me back to my childhood. Before long, the pups will greet their first snowfall - anxious to see their reaction!!
    Judie

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  36. Ah, this post reminds me of heading to the pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect Jack-O'-Lantern!

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  37. Hello P&E,

    I like the thought of "pumpkins ... awaiting faces" and "acorns ... giggling"!

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  38. The sounds of autumn are beautiful, and I hadn't thought about them quite like this. So lovely.

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  39. What beautiful words. I love the image of giggling acorns, how true it is.

    I do love your previous post on the advantages of napping. It is something that I have believed in for years, but haven't quite made it the study that you have. However, I will take your words to heart and endeavour to do it better in future. Thank you so much :)

    Hugs

    kx

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  40. Though the leaves have begun to change here and the nights are cool, the bright sunshine during the daylight is both warm and lingering.
    Summer shall be tardy as Autumn may wait in the wings...
    Susan

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  41. I'm ready for autumn....but.... I'm not. I'm wavering at the moment. We've been having the most glorious warm weather over the past week (we've had a wet summer here on Toronto). Sooooo... But I do love the autumn. And as I write this, there is a cool breeze blowing through and I've had to throw a shawl over my shoulders (the evenings are definitely getting cooler).

    Pamela, I think you are going to have to publish a book. Your writing is amazing. I so look forward to checking in with you.

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  42. If there were awards for beatiful metaphors, you would get the Queen's Award. So lovely! Thanks Pamela.

    (It is predicted to be 90 degrees here today, in the "cold" northern state of Montana. But I did see a friend's enormous pumpkin in her garden yesterday. I guess it IS coming...)

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  43. Beautifully captured!

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  44. How beautifully descriptive your words are - I could hear geese flying overhead - that unmistakeable sound - the last week has been warmer than some summer weeks here but now there is a distinct chill in the air and the leaves are turning from green to gold:)

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  45. I'm just like the Pumpkins, I'm ready! Where do you find all those gorgeous paintings you post? :)
    A kiss to Edward & Apple!

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  46. I still want to hang on to the last gasp of summer
    though
    you're right
    all the signs are here..........

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  47. I absolutely adore all of the anthropomorphic images. So beautifully written . . . and set off nicely by that atmospheric painting. Yes, I'm feeling autumnal. (I thought about saying "aye," instead of yes, but perhaps that is A overkill?)

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  48. The wind today really had a transforming feel. Everything was moving differently, swaying with a ghostly rhythm.....I can't wait until we visit the orchard and pumpkin patch next month. I must confess, John and I get as much joy from that experience as the children do.

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  49. My garden-spider webs are getting larger by the day (as are the spiders that man them). The temperatures bounce around like a beachball - lap blanket weather one day and studio-fan weather the next...

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  50. A lovely descriptive piece - I am always ready for autumn, it's my favourite season.

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  51. Magic...how do you conjur up what is in my head every time?!

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  52. Pamela, wonderful, thought provo0king words and then if that weren't enough, the paintings!

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I love to read your comments! Each and every one! Though I'm always reading your comments, I may not respond in the comment section. If you want to write me directly, you may do so at pamela@pamelaterry.net. Thank you for reading!