after a full moon under a clear sky
the clouds arrived
on the horizon
small at first
and inconsequential
but they soon found each other
and grew until they filled the sky
but not before
i had been to the woods
to see the early signs
that the autumn fairies
are already reaching with their cool little fingers
into the summer almost ended
oh so delicately they dance with tiny paintbrushes dabbing here and there
using the most subtle colours - nothing outlandish and bright just yet!
pick out one leaf, two, or even a plant!
dab little
colour kisses
on them
with paintbrush lips
18 comments:
These first signs of autumn, like the traces left by fairies are lovely. Thanks, Steven.
Ah, autumn fairies on your palette, Steven, and such deft brushstrokes!
"dab little colour kisses on them with paintbrush lips"! Lovely!
Great playful treatment of your topic steven.
Just make sure it's not poison ivy before you dab little kisses on them with those lips.
Hi Steven, I love the colors you captured, and of course, the dappled light. I love how you opened with your description of the clouds and then what you found before they gathered.
Your ending "paintbrush lips" is the perfect description and ending for this poem. Beautiful beautiful photos, Steven.
Rick
The mornings here are definitely feeling like autumn - such a wonderful time of year!
Those Autumnal fairies are creative I must say- In spring they are simply insane, giddy, ushering Autumn in requires some measure of planning, testing. Their paint, after all, will turn the leaves from brief radiant flash to compost, tossed on the forest floor - worn out garment. Fairies gathering webs to weave their winter cloth love the last lark of colourful autumn, I reckon. they sure do a great job! Glad you are there to capture their work in your camera...and in your words. They should feel honored.
Your comment re: the Mount Baker Theater- hilarious- had me smiling all day!
elisabeth - i was up and out very early this morning and so there were fewer four-wheeled distractions. i got to se just how many trees are changing. this weekend the weather changes dramatically and gets a lot colder wuickly so i expect there'll be some big time changes going on. steven
oh yes lorenzo! and they are doing a lot more work as each day passes! steven
bonnie i think that nature is playful in some ways - well as i perceive it (to be truthful!) steven
willow i've lucked out in the poison ivy department so far but i've known many who haven't done quite so well. steven
annie thanks for your kind comment. i am always captivated by the appearance of colour. especially between seasons. to me, even though i could explain the chemical reasons for it, it is still magical. steven
hi rick, it came to me when i was thinking about how at some points in seasonal transitions there are kisses given that are softer than the fuller, richer pieces that come later as each season transitions into fullness. steven
golden west, we'll be there in earnest after another 24 hours passes. the mornings were cool for about a week until about four days ago when warm humid air made its way up from the gulf of mexico. here's to the arrival of a soft autumn!! steven
linda sue i was biking out to the university today to do some work with young teacher candidates and the sumac leaves are already moving past their prime - well those which had been kissed by the fairies already. the coy ones - still green and flourishing. i imagine there's all sorts of whispered conversation going on in the sumac bushes at night. steven
I love seeing the colour coming on; lovely photos, Steven. Buds are bursting here!
alaine - i am so happy for you and all my ozzy friends that spring is showing up!!! autumn is gently - very gently arriving in my neck of the woods. but stay tuned for further developments! steven
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