During October, when the leaves are tinted with golddust and autumn air is crispclean, the creation of a Poemtober experience becomes a therapeutic, poetic diversion from heaviness hovering over the world. Thanks to my Florida poet-friend, Rebecca Herzog, who originated the Poemtober word list, I offer a seasonal collection of poetry. Inspired by outside decorations found in my Long Island neighborhood, I have gathered a plethora of visual prompts.
Below you will find an eerie-looking gathering of spectral sights that sway under an October blackdraped evening. To enhance the scene and create an illuminated sight, I digitized the original photo. Then, I crafted a septercet poem, a form created by poet Jane Yolen with a pattern of seven syllables in three-line stanzas.
Welcome to a Blackdraped Evening Celebration
Specters' Chant
"Trick or treat," we sing tonight
as night sounds cause howling fright
and specters rise from their rest.
Illuminated in white,
hands join in a spooky fest,
calling spirits from the tomb.
Under a blackdraped, night sky
hums of ancient doom and gloom
cause neighbors' woeful outcry.
"Shed your flowing white costume
Return to your earthen bed,
the cemetery of dread."
©CV, 2020
🍁👻🍂
Because life is full of fears these days, I saw this amazing outdoor decoration and knew exactly what I wanted to create. My etheree is a call to action, do not enter the fear zone! Face fears that haunt your waking hours.
hover.
Do not let
them enter your
home but face your fears.
They play tricks, ghoulishly
cause weeping, and entomb the
living in a virtual crypt
of trembling trepidation causing
bonechilling frustration and disruption.
©CV, 2020
🍁👻🍂
From one year to the next Poemtober offer opportunities to revisit thoughts and happenings, and create stories, stitches of memories sewn together. For now, join me for Slice of Life Tuesday at Two Writing Teachers and keep writing. It's National Day on Writing.
I love both poems and your images. You took me back to second grade and a poem I learned so many years ago. I think it might be part of a song: “Tonight is the night when dead leaves fly / like witches on stitched across the sky / When elf and sprite fly through the night on an eerie sheen. / It’s Halloween.” I might not have the exact words, but this is how I remember the lines.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed that you remember a song from 2nd grade, Glenda. Thanks for joining me here for a Poemtober treat. My next installment will have macabre and bizarre scenes for me to use as visual prompts.
DeleteWith all that is happening in the world it is so easy to just hide under a bed and hope everything will go away. Certainly not a way to live. We definitely need to face our fears. We can't conquer them if we hide from them. Great pictures and poems. Both capture the spirit of the season.
ReplyDeleteBob, (it is so good to address you personally now)
DeleteThanks for corresponding and I am glad that you think that my images and poems capture the "spirit" of Autumn. Today is a dark day so maybe the rain and cloudiness will inspire me to create my next segment that should air on Friday.
Carol - a strange and spooky journey, indeed! The photo of the specters is particularly so - and fascinating as well, with its lightplay (I am now having fun combining words!). “Cemetery of dread” - that’s a masterful bit of wordplay and I love it. I also love the contrast between the dark, haunting chant and the encouraging etheree. This was a perfect Poemtober offering; so captures the spirit of Halloween - which is really all about the darkness just before the holiness and light.
ReplyDeleteFran, I always love the way you construct your response. I especially like the thought that darkness comes before the holiness and light. This morning there was darkness and then light not only from the sky but from encouraging words from colleagues. Many thanks.
DeleteWith pretty fall colors I had forgotten about Halloween with its spookiness. With the word choice of Poemtober the scary is written into any text. Your pics and poems bring a chill to the spine. Not to be read in the dark room with a wind howling.
ReplyDeleteA response to your comment on my blog: you are very welcome to use my photos as inspiration for poetry.
Terje, I just love our conversations from afar. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your own photos that are so inspiring.
DeleteI love the wordplay in your offerings, especially trembling trepidation. Happy Halloween, Carol!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ramona, for dropping by. I also liked the sound of trembling trepidation. In reality those words are what I was feeling because of the stressors in life.
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