every night as autumn comes on
pecans drop plunk on the tin roof
proof another season’s past. . .
(from “October,” by the poet)
Now that Autumn Equinox has come and gone, days will be shorter and nights longer. More time to read, write, and play music through the night! Or, more time to harvest and put away jars of vegetables.
With the cooler temperatures, the winds of change blowing through the oak trees, and acorns dropping on the tin roof, I was reminded of a poem I wrote long ago, “October”–one of two of the first poems I ever published. I was living in a very old cabin, reportedly a former slave quarters, in a community in north Florida, 30 miles from the university where I was working on my doctorate in creative writing and poetry.
Although I lived in north Florida, the two poems were published in The South Florida Poetry Review, Hollywood, Florida. Sadly, the journal is now extinct though the Florida poetry scene is still vibrant. “Today This Jar of Pickles is My Poem,” which eventually became the title of a prize winning chapbook, was also published in this review. Now, understand, I was at the time growing food and also putting it up in jars for the future. At the time, I believe only 2 % of the population canned their own food and I was among them. Still, I questioned the time taken away from my creative projects.
Covid changed all that!
According to garden pals, “The Covid pandemic created 18.3 million new gardeners, most of whom are millennials.”
Check out these amazing statistics about new interest in gardening! That’s good news! What about you?
In fact, I’m seeing more and more blending of gardening and poetry. Is that true for you?
This new book by Tess Taylor with a preface by Aimee Nezhukumatathil is on my reading list!!
Check it out here: Leaning Toward Light
I’ll close this story of poetry, gardens, seasons past, and Autumn Equinox with a poem by our U. S. Poet Laureate, Ada Limon. Read her poem here:
So, I close for now and wish you a fruitful harvest–in all ways.
Jacquelyn
Poet Voice 