 |
| Photograph of an oil painting by Andrew Stevovich, Woman with Autumn Leaves, 1994 |
Halloween is almost ended.
It’s time to turn back the clocks and
rake soft unbroken leaves into
sorted piles of red, green and gold.
The crushed ones can stay awhile and
keep me company while I mourn
past companionship with witchy
celebrants, drumming and fire pits.
Nor did the door bell ring. I care-
fully removed the porch light bulb—
it works every time. No more treats.
I’ll check for tricks in the morning.
Copyright © 2015 S.L.Chast
I like the symbolism of raking the unbroken leaves, but the crushed ones can stay awhile.....old memories of what was once and is no more can carry us into winter when even the crushed ones disappear. I like the good humor of the last stanza & hope there were no tricks discovered in the morning!
ReplyDeleteThose last two lines really are a treat - if you will pardon the pun - i think sorting those red green and gold leaves seems vital and a kind of remembrance and appreciation for the transition into a new season - a grown up kind of celebration...and the porch light trick - a cunning plan ;)
ReplyDeleteThis is such a perfect poem for the season :D
ReplyDeleteBeautifully penned.
Lots of love,
Sanaa
love how you ended this one
ReplyDeleteLove the unlit porch-light... I always knew that the ghosts are afraid of the dark. Love the symbolism in raking the leaves.
ReplyDeleteloved your porch light trick. :D
ReplyDeleteHiding is sometimes good...
ReplyDeleteSo many levels in this poem...the image of the sorted piles of leaves is simply stunning.
ReplyDeleteI think you had a fun Halloween around the fire pit and especially not giving out treats...we were inundated this year because of the nice weather and ran out of candy only an hour into the evening. Then out with the light and time to cozy up.
ReplyDeleteI love that second stanza.
ReplyDeleteAn image of a isolation brought about by oneself... Powerful and evocative. I really liked the ending: "I’ll check for tricks in the morning."
ReplyDelete-HA
beautiful.. how time moves.. I'm just curious, did you move the clocks this night? cause here we've done that one week ago and I was just wondering..
ReplyDeleteI liked the leaving of the crushed leaves, too. David Suzuki says leaving leaves where they fall helps the butterfly larvae to develop and birth more butterflies. Works for me, LOL.
ReplyDeleteI like the ambivalence of old celebrations and shunning the event with the light bulb trickery
ReplyDeleteThe world continues to dance around us and who says we should join in? If we choose to be a lone star shining who is to say no? A beautifully graphic poem Susan.
ReplyDeleteThe leaf raking, sorting, letting the crushed ones stay - what amazing imagery. I hope there were no tricks! We have no children in our neighborhood and kids from other neighborhoods do not come - lights out on all 10 of the houses!
ReplyDeleteHopefully no tricks and sweet whol leaves to enjoy a while.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is all over! A fleeting episode remembered on account of its eerie conduct once a year.Many among the young and old had enjoyed it. It was good when it lasted.
ReplyDeleteHank
The ending really gets me. I love how you mourn the ending of Halloween.
ReplyDelete"I'll look for tricks in the morning." I have a feeling someone gets their trees papered during Halloween, hopefully that isn't the case though.
ReplyDeleteNice trick removing the porch light bulb. Bet you didn't have to buy excessive amounts of candy. Lol
ReplyDeleteMuch love...
The poem is so beautifully weaved and the oil painting added more beauty to it :)
ReplyDeleteFeeling of such comfort and peace goes from your poem. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis is a charming little Halloween sketch - beautiful wordsmithing with a dash of humor.
ReplyDelete