Beth Camp Historical Fiction

Tuesday, October 01, 2013

Oct 1: In Rhyme and Season . . .

In rhyme and season, I begin
this October gray and dank,
still waiting for those leaves to turn
from summer green to autumn gold.

I remember red avenues
of leaves so thick I could not see
the sky that promised darker nights
until at last winter arrived.

If I could walk again with you,
seasons in perfect balance,
Spring, a promise of days to come,
Fall, that time we planned to wander:
where trees never lost their leaves
and skies were never gray.

Central Park, New York City (OctPoWriMo)

Above revised. Below, old version: Thanks to Sandy (see comments), back I went to wordsmithing in hopes of revising this first poem of October into a stronger draft.

In rhyme and season, I begin
this October gray and dank,
still waiting for those leaves to turn
from summer green to autumn gold.

I remember avenues of red leaves
so thick I could not see the sky,
a profusion of color that blocked out
the reality of colder nights
until winter finally arrived.

Would that I could walk again with you
along that leafy path,
the seasons in perfect balance:
Spring, a promise of days to come, and
Fall, that time we planned to wander
where trees never lost their leaves
and skies were never gray.


Poetry has long been my way to settle into writing. I don't write poetry every day, now being preoccupied with storytelling in novel form, but twice a year -- October and April, I take up the challenge to write a poem a day. Some poems resonate from years past. Most help me to cherish the moment, leading me to the 'now' -- that goal of meditation that says each day is a gift.

And so October begins with several writing challenges:

-- A month-long commitment to writing a poem a day, inspired by Morgan Dragonwillow on OctPoWriMo 2013

-- Hosting guest posts and commentary throughout the month from two very creative sisters -- Sandy Jensen and Cheryl Long who explore the visual and written with their poetry, teaching, and art. 

-- Continued research and writing of Rivers of Stone, the story of Catriona and Dougal, two Scots from farming and fishing families, who came to the Hudson's Bay in upper Manitoba in 1842 and were immediately separated. 

-- Completing Round 4 with A Round of Words in 80 Days (October 7 through December 26), an online writing community that with weekly check-ins encourages us all to set goals and report our progress.

What writing challenges will inspire you this month? 

Would you write a poem a day for October? 

17 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:41 AM

    Beautiful. Created lovely imagery for me. :)

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    1. Thank you for visiting and appreciating the imagery. I'll be reading yours shortly!

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  2. I sat on that bench and looked around to see the Autumn you described. Lovely Beth. Oh, and thanks for reminding me ROW4 begins on the 7th! :)

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    1. Thank you for visiting, Shah, when I know you are so busy. I'm looking forward to the start of ROW80 once again . . . and reading your poems.

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  3. Beth,
    The first quatrain has four even beats to the line setting up a musical expectation in my ear. That seems to have gone well, and then you got distracted from your original music. The rest seems to me to still be notes-to-self. Consider laying the rest out four iambic beats to the line, as well. That will force you to weed out some prosaic words and focus on the music. Listening and revising for the musical line will spill over into your prose practice, as well. No reason the second poem of the month can't be a revision of the first!

    Can you tell school has started? Yikes!

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    1. Hello, Sandy. Thanks for the encouragement to return and look again at this poem. Yes, it took away from other writing, but of course the music of the poem should dictate all. I hope the revised version works a little better. Some parts are from the heart and harder to revise. I love your editing eye!

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  4. Second visit! I was out for a walk and o take shelter from a drencher under a tree. Your challenge returned to me, and I wrote a poem on my cell phone. The editing brain gets too strong, and I'd rather be on your side of the creek creating and playing!

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    1. Now I need to go find that poem you wrote, Sandy. What technologies we use now to create. And did you take a picture to go with the poem? I'll see!

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  5. Lovely. Happy daily writing!

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    1. Thank you, Tressa, for visiting. I hope the month brings you much poetry.

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  6. Hello, Beth. Yes, I am back to chime in on this year's OctPoWriMo, vowing to do better this year than last. Loved your poem. A favorite line:
    "Fall, that time we planned to wander
    where trees never lost their leaves
    and skies were never gray."
    This reminds me to do what I want now rather than put them off until later. Later may be too late. Thank you. xoA

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    1. Good to see you here again, Annis. You read the heart of the poem, ideas I yet struggle with. At the same time, the seasons turn and who we are changes as well, a little older each year, not always wiser, but still we cherish each day.

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  7. I'm nodding along as I read Annis' words. The leaves here are not changing much, but I was so surprised to find my mulberry leaves losing their green instead of just withering and falling. I am delighted! And a little boy in the park ran up to me with a leaf in his hand saying, "Look! A red leaf!" to which I ooohed and ahhhed and wondered how these little ones know I am one who will appreciate these little things. So glad to read you again, Beth. So glad.

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    1. Thank you for visiting, Julie. I can see that little boy in the park and you, delighted at the red leaf.

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  8. I like that you showed us your process - your revision. And I really liked the line "Fall...that time we planned to wander" because that's how Fall makes me feel - and particularly Sunday afternoons in Central Park. Those are some of my favorite times and you brought that forth with this poem.

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  9. Thank you . . . and thank you for coming back to read the revised version! :) I think this month will be interesting.

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  10. Beth you are inspiring :)

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