Sunday, October 26, 2008


Autumn

The gate to the wood is closed, said Summer.
Take the path over the pond,
kill all the daffodils.
The old men sat wrapped in greaseproof paper,
We are not afraid, they said.
Be shrewd, be whistling.
We are tired of picking locks and seasons.
All things yellow stream down beyond our eyes.

Janet Frame, The Pocket Mirror, 1967

photo Jurmala beach from Flickr

21 comments:

  1. Willow dear, allow me to suggest a book to you for when you feel in need of companionship. My daughter just brought it back with her , along with a rash and a poinoned arm, from her teaching sojurn to India.
    It is called 'The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society'
    by Mary Ann Shaffer.It was her first book and unfortunately she died before penning another.
    Start it on a dark afternoon with your dinner bubbling in the oven. I guarantee you will be enthralled.
    Enjoy, xx Arija

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  2. Incredible photo and wonderful poem.

    I always feel rich after I read your blog. Thank you so so much.

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  3. Super match of image and words.
    We had such winds and rains yesterday - made me think of Ode to the West Wind and also Browning's Porphyria's Lover.
    Is autumn poem inducing?

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  4. The poem is nice, but You are a beautiful photo ! The colours are so pretty, and the escalador in stone is very, very great !
    Is it Your manor ???

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  5. old men and yellow streams .. gotta say this is an image that makes me snicker .. I am SO bad

    No treats for me


    :-Daryl

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  6. Arija, I reserved the book online from my library system and I am
    147th on the list!! EVERYone must be wanting to read this! I might just have to pick one up at Barnes and Noble. Thank you for the suggestion!

    Elizabeth, autumn IS poem inducing!!

    Daryl, maybe this is what Frame is getting at. Okay, you can have a treat.

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  7. I love the poem because it's so challenging. It sits restlessly in my little brain. :) Gorgeous image too. You have a wonderful gift for presenting poetry and imagery in a way that really celebrates it.

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  8. Such a beautiful time of year for photos, paintings, and poetry. Pappy

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  9. Hey, Pappy, where have you been? The Manor just not the same without a bit of your balderdash!

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  10. I love that feeling of shutting a season down, leaving it behind, allowing the next one to stride in.

    Greetings from London.

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  11. Breathtaking... the poem and the photo are some well matched!

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  12. Thank you for this poem!

    I trust you already know "An Angel at My Table," the movie based on Janet Frame's autobiography. She had such a heartbreaking life.

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  13. Yes! Jane Campion's film is wonderful. It's been several years since I've seen it and need to watch it again.

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  14. What a beautiful fall image! Wonderful poem, too.

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  15. I came by to read this amazing poem again! I thought I left a comment yesterday - but I think I must have been left speechless. Wonderful post as always!

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  16. Is this my autumn they speak of...then on to the dreaded cold, which is surely mine!

    I love this poem and the photo...makes my imagination stir (what doesn't)...ha!

    sharon

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)