Sunday sedoka (breathe)

For a long moment
I forgot to breathe as I
for mesmerising moments
gazed at the picture
from Mother Nature's palette
as autumn gold she painted

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Tri-haiku XXXIX (vibrant)

Vibrant this colour
at this golden time of year
when greenery fades

And the sunset comes
The years' full swansong sings loud
with echos to gold

Leaving me speechless
Silenced by this golden awe
at the curtain call

A walk in a painting

Went for a walk in a painting
the colours vibrant and bright
the artists' palette singing to me
as a I swooned in this wonderful sight

Reds and golds and yellows and pink
with green in the background were there
a wash of pale blue and a purple for depth
conveyed by the artist to share

Teazle Teasing

They've been tantalising me a while
growing slowly there
Teazles swaying in the breeze
willing me to share
But I've resisted purposely
as the time has to be right
when words paint this good picture
of the teazles there in sight
And now I feel that time has come
the teazles' teasing ends
allowing me to share the joy
they bring with all my friends

Golden III

There in the silence a single leaf fell
slowly down to the ground
from the tree it had lived on throughout the year
with the slightest whisper of sound
Yet no sadness here, no falling from grace
but exuberant moment of glee
as a new golden treasure shone bright at its best
at the end of its life radiantly

In the autumn now

October shadow, Obi's field
in the heart of Sussex Weald
barely was the warmth concealed
in the autumn now

Walked a mile around the place
felt again familiar grace
with the sunshine on my face
in the autumn now

The rollercoaster ride (reprise)

Concluding ‘The Fading Days’ series from Jemverse (12 of 12)

In the razor sharp clarity
of a crisp autumn morn
An erudite moment
of instinct was born
A momentary feeling
captured and held
Crystallised into form
to fashion and meld

Blackberry & apple crumble (reprise)

11 of 12 in the ‘Fading Days’ series from Jemverse

Foraging for blackberries
on an autumn day
enough there for a crumble
from those we found along the way

We brought some Bramley apples too
from the farm shop, fresh and nice
For a crumble with hot custard
flavoured with a little spice

Conkers (reprise)

10 of 12 in the ‘Fading Days’ series from Jemverse

I’d turn back time
(If only I could)
For I’ve a bag full of conkers
which I found in the wood
Recalling the days
of muddied scuffed knees
Long days in the sunshine
and the climbing of trees

‘Borrowing’ a skewer
from the kitchen drawer
when stringed conkers in pocket
was what life was for
We threw sticks to the branches
to see what would fall
and the thrill of the find
was just part of it all

The turning (reprise)

9 of 12 in the ‘Fading Days’ series from Jemverse

Turning now
the green will fade
to liquid gold
of Autumn shade
Past equinox
less sunlight hours
But warm enough
for many flowers

All I could wish for (reprise)

8 of 12 in the ‘Fading Days’ series from Jemverse

Went for a walk ‘neath some gnarly old trees
The sun filtered down on beams through the leaves
with the beginning of Autumn there to perceive
All I could wish for is here.

Breathed deep the fresh scent of autumnal air
Saw the turning of leaves in all the trees there
with the zest and the colour of nature’s true flair
All I could wish for is here.

As summer passed by (reprise)

7 of 12 in the ‘Fading Days’ series from Jemverse

The sun cast long shadows
so low in the sky
And the equinox came
as summer passed by
It’s radiance glowing
the sun retained strength
warming the soul
in days with less length

The falling (reprise)

6 of 12 in ‘The Fading Days’ series from Jemverse

Intangible, there’s something
different in the air
Not too sure about that though
as it’s not, as yet, quite there
Some say it is the Autumn
knocking at the door
Yet today I felt the summer
coming back for more

Gardening (reprise)

5 of 12 in ‘The fading days’ series from Jemverse

I have to get back out there
For one last tidy round
Before the damp and rain of autumn
Saturates the sodden ground
Tidy up the spread nasturtiums
Cut back the deadened stems
Prepare the garden for the winter
On which its dormancy depends

Sea Watch (reprise)

4 of 12 in ‘The Fading Days’ series from Jemverse

I watched the sea, it did me proud
I smiled at it and laughed out loud
The waves they roared, I roared right back
As I wasn’t having any of that

Alone on the stone with sun and spray
On a fine and perfect Autumn day
On the shoreline with the crashing sounds
That filled the air and shook the ground

Red (reprise)

3 of 12 in ‘The fading days’ series from Jemverse

The creeper and the honeysuckle
Both are turning red
Just one more show of colour
Before off to winter bed

Red glow after sunset
Still heralds warming rays
But the sun is now more distant
So we’re set for cooler days

Waiting (reprise)

2 of 12 in ‘The Fading Days’ series from Jemverse

Flowers here, pinks and reds
Yellows, blues and greens
Along with trees all turning now
Autumn’s here it seems
It rains a little more these days
The grass is greener now
Recovering from the days of heat
And the sun that burned our brow
Shorter now and cooler
The days are drawing in
A time for quiet reflection
Before the winter can begin

Something interesting (reprise)

1 of 12 in ‘The Fading Days’ series from Jemverse

Come closer. I’ll show you a colour – one that describes me.
Is it blue or a yellow or an autumn gold? Is it mellow green
Or amber or purple or silver? Is it a deep, burning orange
Or any one of the hundred thousand colours you have seen?
No, it is none of these and yet every one of them. The song is loud
And though it fades, like raindrop rings, it will never, ever leave.

Start 2

2 of 12 in the Jemverse series ’12 month VI’

It's the first day of October
my, the year has flown
twenty twenty-two, month ten
the sixty-third I've known

It's cooler now, the autumn looms
as read and brown and gold
take the place of summer green
with riches to behold

Settling in

We're settling in to Autumn
as the summer is now done
daylight fades at teatime
and there's more rain now than sun
But still some strength there sometimes
when the bright one gets its way
so we're not prepared to throw the towel
just yet, least not today

Tipple (reprise)

3 of 10 in the ‘Music II’ series from Jemverse

In these fragile days of Autumn
When I am flustered by strong gales
There’s something to look forward to
The partaking of fine ales

A tipple of an evening
When the weather is like this
Gives a little taste of summer
With its happiness and bliss

The treasure party

Enriched I am carried
as if on a cloud
to this place of fulfilment
my head duly bowed
For it is with all honour
and privilege here
that I share in this glory
at this time of year

Exuberance

And so into the woodland trail
for an exuberance of gold
this treasure of abundance
now the year is getting old

For times like these I live and breathe
and even though it's chill
my winter coat and long johns
will ensure I catch no ill

Fare more beside this treasure trail
quite free there to partake
is something quite essential
at this time of year to make

One III

3 of 12 in the Jemverse ’12 months V’ series

I can't quite believe November is here
the year has sped by so fast
the Spring and the Summer merged into one
with a warmth we all hope will last
Not going to happen for much longer I fear
as Winter waits in the wings
and Jack Frost's remembered his repertoire
with the cold stuff all of that brings
But for now with green just starting to turn
and the sun still strong in the sky
I'll cling to the vestige of summer still here
and not wish the Autumn rush by

The turning revisited

Concluding the Jemverse ‘Autumn 21’ series (7 of 7)

Turning now
the green will fade
to liquid gold
of Autumn shade
Past equinox
less sunlight hours
But warm enough
for many flowers

There’s colour here
to hold at bay
the looming months
of Winter grey
But turning now
the fading slow
as Autumn has
still much to show

Another walk in the woods

6 of 7 in the Jemverse series ‘Autumn 21’

Dappled sunlight filtered through
the green tunnel up ahead
as carefree there we wandered
uncertain where it led

Not that we were bothered
for we cared not for the time
on such an afternoon as this
with autumn weather fine

Conkers (revisited)

5 of 7 in the Jemverse series ‘Autumn 21’

I’d turn back time
(If only I could)
For I’ve a bag full of conkers
which I found in the wood
Recalling the days
of muddied scuffed knees
Long days in the sunshine
and the climbing of trees

‘Borrowing’ a skewer
from the kitchen drawer
when stringed conkers in pocket
was what life was for
We threw sticks to the branches
to see what would fall
and the thrill of the find
was just part of it all

Red II revisited

4 of 7 in the Jemverse ‘Autumn 21’ series

Surrounded by Autumn
I saw red and a tear trickled
But no malice here
No discontent
For here beauty’s extravagance
in simplicity lay
Inspiring a tear
for the green of summer
spilled at my feet