Outside Arbroath, Scotland
Now the earth breathes in and we with it too,
we lie down. In the spring the earth
breathes out, the blooms and
the blades, the stamens
and spores land where
they will.
But now is the time
of repose and response,
of reflection: to fall at last
and fade into a darkened spot
so we can re-emerge next time new.
Post title borrowed from the artist Richard Youngs record of the same name.
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Categories: poetry
Bill Pearse 
Lovely rhythm to this Bill and I love the idea that the world breathes in in Autumn, out in Spring. Lovely words and the shape seems fitting too
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Hey, I’m glad you commented on the shape Lynn, I rarely do that kind of thing but thought why not, here. I guess that’s one of the nice things about electronic editing, easy to move stuff around quickly and break up lines.
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Is that classed as a ‘concrete’ poem? It works well with the idea of the earth’s energy waxing and waning
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I don’t know, I have to look that up now!
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A beautiful picture for this most hallowed of seasons! The decay a shedding of old things and preparing for the promise of new. A wonderful poem.
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Hey thanks my friend! Yes, a strange reveling in the decay. My friend mentioned some myth or belief that the earth breathes in now, and I wanted to tease out that image. I only touched the surface — maybe you can take it further! Bill
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Your short poem is so lovely 🙂 Autumn is flowing by, and Nature is about to take a short nap, only to come out in March with a whole new array of colors and burst of life. That feel is very beautifully portrayed here!
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Hi there, are the seasons the same in Calcutta as North America? I didn’t know that, I feel dumb! I thought they were different because of the proximity to the equator. Thanks for sharing your take on the seasonal change too, I love it. There are parts of the US where the seasons don’t change as much (like the south) but I’ve always enjoyed the transitions. We don’t get it as dramatically in the Pacific Northwest, but when it comes and goes for fall, it’s really fun to experience. Thanks for reading and following my blog! Bill
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😀 Wow it’s really nice to know you and North America, Bill! Yeah we live close to the equator but not that close 😛 the temperature range is pretty large in most years. But the winter isn’t freezing, and the summer’s too hot and stuffy. The humidity is torturous here in Calcutta. When I was little and Global Warming was yet to increase exponentially here, we had at least five distinct seasons: Summer, Monsoon, Autumn, Winter and Spring. But now they have all overlapped and often change their minds about when they would pay us a visit 😛 I love the transitions too! It’s amazing that you get to experience the same, maybe more vividly there. Thanks for replying, nice knowing you 🙂
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Yes, nice knowing you soon — I sometimes refer to our warm, rainy weather as “Monsoon” when I’m sure it’s nothing like what you have there. They call it the Pineapple Express here too, the storm systems that come up from Hawaii. And nice knowing you. Enjoy the remains of the day! Bill
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Very nice, very true though I hadn’t thought of it like that. Pretty photo too.
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And nice new avatar! My friend Loren mentioned the breathing thing and I liked the image. And glad you like the photo, thanks — from about this time last year, our first stop in Scotland (we rented a cottage from a guy I learned the last day was a poet).
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Thanks – after a haircut and G rated, naturally. That’s neat about the poet…how could he not be in those surroundings.
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There was a book of poetry in the place we were staying and I’d read most of it, it had a photo of the poet, and then I found him stretching in the doorway of his estate, and he looked exactly like he did in the photo, and it kind of freaked me out because I hadn’t made the connection. And then I thought it meant something, you know.
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Third season precedes the most beautiful death I can imagine. For some reason, I’m not a big fan of nature poetry unless it’s about fall. I really enjoyed the short-but-sweet post. Thanks for sharing your creativity.
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Hey Justin, thanks! I like the way you put it, the most beautiful death you can imagine. I hadn’t thought it that way before. And cool, you liked a nature poem — I consider that a success for a reader who’s not a big fan, but as you say, there’s something about autumn poems. Like sweaters, they suit the season best. Is that a Rogue T-shirt you’re wearing on your About page? I only see the “R” behind that beautiful kid of yours. Bill
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Thanks for the compliment on my progeny. I’m amazed at how beautiful he is (probably gets it from his mother… I only gave him the blue eyes and this accursed [two syllables] left-handedness). It is, indeed, a Rogue shirt. No offense to anyone, but I’m not a gigantic Rogue fan (just Dead Guy), but Portland is my home town and I love the green / yellow shirt bc it represents my Ducks and my favorite colors.
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I think we share some beer snobbery (sorry if I put that on you) but I’ve been down on Rogue before and I’m coming around to not being that way anymore. They bought a local brewery in my neighborhood here in Issaquah many years ago, and it’s my favorite place to go. I hike in the Issaquah Alps and if I’ve got the time, stop there on my way back for a bowl of chili and a Brutal. There’s nothing like that. We have a brewery up here called Fremont that rocks the spot, but Ft. George is one of my favs too.
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Fort George is effing nuts!! We finally visited when we had meant to visit Rogue and they were outstanding. I though they just had Vortex IPA, but they make like 40 different brews and I think I was in love with 38 of them. They are solid as Iraq!
You can call me a beer snob, but I’m really just opinionated. I actually drink Rolling Rock, Coors Light, even a Labatt Blue when I’m in the right part of the world.
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I grew up on Rolling Rock, so to speak. Latrobe PA buddy! 33! Ft. George is the bomb, any place that has a stout like that as their house beer is alright by me. I’m in the rogue now, fancy that!
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Whoops! Just realized it’s my black Rogue shirt. Sister is a beer rep and gets me lots of good swag.
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I’m such a sucker for autumnal verse. A strangely optimistic time, in my head anyway. Now I must go rake leaves …
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Suckers abound, fall like, well, like leaves.
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i especially like the renewal part at the end and the shape of your words illustrate the ebb and flow of the seasons.
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I’m happy you picked up on that. And hey, I’m especially glad you’ve been following and commenting on my blog regularly for like 4 years it seems. Do you have a staff? How do you do it all?
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i think we should have an anniversary celebration. hey, i can manage 16 kinders, 3 grown daughters and sons in law, 6 grandies, and a dating life – keeping blog friendly is easy )
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Yes, let’s. I managed to read your comment while adding flour to onions and celery and slowly whisking white vermouth, for chicken pot pie (so there).
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Well, I always said you were a poet at heart, and I agree that autumn is a good time for it. Rock on, sir. “Now the earth breathes in and we with it too.” That’s just pretty good, right there. And the shape thingy. Off to fall at last and fade into a darkened spot, now, I am.
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Fall. Thanks for dropping some sentiment by my mat here. You can keep your shoes on when you come by.
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