Pages

Friday, October 16, 2026

Harvesting My Thoughts

In Autumn, my thoughts ripen like apples on orchard trees. This time of year, nature lovers enjoy the beauty of seasonal change. Colorful hues start to shine, and weather patterns vary. Daily walks are common in my community. Throughout the state, harvest festivals and events are advertised because Autumn is here!  

I reflect back on my high school days when bundles of autumn leaves crunched beneath my feet. I enjoyed listening to nature's sounds, breathing in the crisp air, and gathering colorful leaves to press with wax paper. I was definitely present in those moments. As years passed, life became cluttered with work and motherhood, but Autumn days were the pause that always brought joy. Now, I look back and remember the importance of being in awe of nature. Memories last. Autumn leaves dancing on my lawn prepares me once again for the full arrival of Lady Autumn and her color-making wand.

Join me today for another segment of Nature's Envoy.

Digital Artwork from CVarsalona

In the crisp chill of
a glorious fall afternoon,
Lady Autumn reigns.

Birds flutter and scramble for seeds
cascading from tiny bird feeders,
chorusing away in gratitude.

Crimson and caramel leaves pirouette downward,
carpeting lawns as hours slip by
Waiting for dusk to layer the sky.

As Lady Autumn yields to rest,
Sunset weaves its colorful hues and
Shadows tuck the world to sleep.

©CVarsalona, 2026    Image from Pinterest

🍁🍃🍂🍁🍃🍂🍁🍃🍂
Mentor Text from Alexander Posey (1973-1908)

Autumn
In the dreamy silence
Of the afternoon, a
Cloth of gold is woven
Over wood and prairie;
And the jaybird, newly
Fallen from the heaven,
Scatters cordial greetings,
And the air is filled with
Scarlet leaves, that, dropping,
Rise again, as ever,
With a useless sigh for
Rest—and it is Autumn.
🍁🍃🍂🍁🍃🍂🍁🍃🍂

🍁🍃🍂 Invitation 🍁🍃🍂

Do you agree that Lady Autumn should welcome rest?

I invite all the writers, artists, and poets to join me at my new Gallery of Artistic Expressions, Autumn's Ephemeral Gold Padlet, for a creative and imaginative tribute to Lady Autumn and the beauty of the majestic Autumn season. You can add your offering to the padlet here.
I will add a digital image poem
of this week's poem to my 
Autumn's Ephemeral Gold Padlet
this weekend.

I thank my colleagues who have already submitted their artistic expressions:
Thank you to Patricia Franz, Robyn Hood Black, Tabatha Yeatts, Margaret Simon,  Karen Edmisten, and Molly Hogan for adding their artistic expressions.
🍁🍃🍂🍁🍃🍂🍁🍃🍂

Fellow readers, let poetry fill your soul and bring you warmth on Autumn days. Join the Poetry Friday community with our host, Rose Cappelli, at Imagine The Possibilites, a long-time friend, poet, author, and educator, for this week's Roundup. 
🍁🍃🍂🍁🍃🍂🍁🍃🍂

13 comments:

  1. Your poem is as lovely as a crisp fall afternoon, Carol.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Rose. I appreciate your response. Lady Autumn is trying to dry out from another storm that passed our way on its travels into the North East so take care of yourself.

      Delete
  2. I enjoyed basking in your words about the singular beauty of Lady Autumn, Carol. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jama, I am having a wonderful writing time trying to bring Lady Autumn to life. Tonight, she must be drying out from the storm that reached us. It seems to be a milder one than the one reaching NYC. Happy Fall.

      Delete
  3. Lady Autumn in those golden clothes...beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda, Lady Aiutumn walks beside me as my muse for fall. It is comforting to write peacefully.

      Delete
  4. You are using "Kilo" in the most beautiful way to bring Autumn to us through all our senses. I love how you personified Lady Autumn with her wand. I can just see her. Enjoy all the beautiful color ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cathy, while understanding what Kilo is, I did not think about the term during writing. Sensory poetry is what each season brings out. Aha! you found the golden wand that Lady Autumn uses to create a colorful world whether it is dipped in sunset orange or gray cloud. Please consider writing an autumn formy Autumn's Ephemeral Gold Padlet Gallery..

      Delete
  5. I love this line: " Crimson and caramel leaves pirouette downward," What a great way to describe the color of some leaves as caramel.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jone, since caramel seems to be the trendy color of autumn as far as fashion goes, why not let the leaves sparkle along. Today, after the cloudiness of this morning, the leaves enjoyed their dance with the wind pushing them forward. We were at the church fall festival watching the heavier than normal breeze getting involved in the festivities..

      Delete
  6. Carol, I love the image of leaves pirouetting -- surely this is the dance of autumn! And so ironic that I am traveling in Buenos Aires where winter is holding Spring back (brrr!!!).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Patricia, I can see the dance of autumn with the leaves flowing in different patterns and directions. I think Lady Autumn is ready to join the dance. Thanks for the idea and I hope I can dream of this instead of the weird flashbacks that seem to annoy my sleep. Continue enjoying your trip and stay warm.

      Delete
  7. I liked "Waiting for dusk to layer the sky." Nothing like autumn layers! :)

    ReplyDelete