December by Thomas Parsons

December by Thomas Parsons

by | Dec 3, 2024 | December Poems, Life Poems, Nature Poems, Poems, Poetic Flows Podcast, Poetry, Winter Poems

December by Thomas Parsons

You have again made your way in,
Cold and beautiful.
You are December,
And I love you.
Despite the seasonal celebration,
I know you to be more.
You are calm,
You allow me to slow,
To envelope the tranquility I crave.
Your winds, December, though cold,
Allow me to feel the life in my cheeks,
And if I’m lucky,
It too will bring the sweetness
Of some distant firewood.
I welcome your snow, December.
So that I may sit wrapped in wool,
By candlelight,
The dog having nestled in as well,
Watching the frozen rain accumulate
On the branches of the birch and oak.
Though I live in the city,
I dream of loving you December,
Even more – if I were in nature.
Then I would feel closer to you,
As a lover may feel,
Or perhaps a mother to a child.
I would know, I think, how to
More fully know why I am in love
With you.
And being with you, December,
Brings me to life.

Written by Thomas Parsons

It is November by Elizabeth Shield

It is November by Elizabeth Shield

by | Nov 19, 2024 | Autumn Poems, Life Poems, Nature Poems, November Poems, Poems, Poetry

It Is November

It is November
And all the leaves face my way
Overlapping tussocks of grass
Like long forgotten hills
Dwelling in the overhang of fall

It is November
Orange ribbons hand in tatters
Patched up yellow cloaks are draped
And whisking in the wind
Then drifting to the earth
And becoming winters pillow

It is November
And there stands a lonely tower
Base adorned with red bushes
Flags no longer flying
Crouched and crippled by the frost

It is November
My feet bear down on acorns
A thousand fold
All left and forgotten
Even to the squirrels
Just a layer ‘neath my feet

It is November
The solitary pines stand solid
Near the ivy covered wall
Their boughs raise and hail the heavens
And their needles fall
As the autumn wind dances a mournful dance

It is November
Bare branches rake the cloudy skies
And scratch out their heartfelt pleas
Against cold glass windows
Seeking what they have lost and will not find

It is November
An old gate stands ajar
Beckoning to no one
Standing solidly open
Despite the cruel fall wind

It is November
Trees make colored circles
A fading gold on fading green
A fireworks display
Now falling to the ground

It is November
Cold air fills my body
Cruel wind tosses my hair
I seek a shelter from autumn
My door is open
Now I am home

Elizabeth Shield

The Dark Ages by John Reade

The Dark Ages by John Reade

by | Jun 26, 2024 | Life Poems, Nature Poems, Poems, Poetry

Dark Ages by John Reade

The years through which aught that hath life, O Sun,
Hath watched or felt thy rising, what are they
To those vast æons when, from night to day,
From dawn to dark, thy circuit thou didst run,
With none to greet thee or regret thee; none
To bless thy glowing harbinger of cloud,
Rose-tinted; none to sigh when, like a shroud,
The banner of Night proclaimed her victory won?
Yet, through that reign of seeming death, so long
To our imperfect ken, the marvellous force
Which means to ends adjusts in Nature’s plan
Was bringing to the birth that eye of man,
Which now, O Sun, surveys thy farthest course—
A speck amid the countless starry throng.

The poem reflects on the vast expanse of time through which the sun has existed and its role in the universe. Here’s a critical summary and analysis:

Summary:

The poem contemplates the immense epochs during which the sun has risen and set, stretching back to periods far beyond human existence. The speaker contrasts these vast aeons with the relatively brief span during which life on Earth, especially human life, has observed and felt the sun’s presence. The poem highlights the sun’s unacknowledged journeys through the cosmos before any beings existed to appreciate its light and warmth. Despite the long era of seeming emptiness, the natural processes were at work, leading to the emergence of humans who now have the capacity to observe and reflect upon the sun’s path.

Analysis:

Themes:

  1. Time and Eternity:
    • The poem delves into the concept of time, contrasting the brief span of human history with the incomprehensible length of cosmic time.
    • The “vast aeons” represent an almost eternal past when the sun existed without any observers.
  2. Existence and Observation:
    • There’s a significant focus on the existence of the sun before life, emphasizing the idea that the sun’s value and significance are not diminished by the lack of observers.
    • The emergence of human beings, who can now appreciate and contemplate the sun, is portrayed as a crucial development.
  3. Nature’s Plan and Evolution:
    • The poem suggests that nature has a plan, where everything from the sun’s existence to the development of human beings is part of a grand design.
    • The “marvellous force which means to ends adjusts in Nature’s plan” implies an inherent order and purpose in the natural world.

Structure and Form:

  • The poem is structured as a single, reflective stanza with a rhyme scheme that ties the lines together.
  • The use of enjambment helps to maintain the flow of thoughts and emphasizes the continuity of time and the seamless transition from one era to another.

Imagery and Symbolism:

  • The Sun: Symbolizes constancy and the passage of time. It also represents the source of life and enlightenment.
  • Night and Day: These opposing forces symbolize the cycle of existence, with the sun’s daily journey marking the rhythm of time.
  • The Birth of Human Sight: The “eye of man” symbolizes human consciousness and the ability to appreciate and reflect on the universe.

Tone and Mood:

  • The tone is contemplative and somewhat awe-inspiring, inviting the reader to ponder the vastness of time and the smallness of human existence in comparison.
  • The mood evokes a sense of wonder and humility, acknowledging both the insignificance and the significance of human life in the grand scheme of things.

Conclusion:

The poem elegantly explores the themes of time, existence, and the evolution of life, using the sun as a central metaphor. It reflects on the grandeur of the cosmos and the unique position of humans as conscious observers within it. The interplay between the eternal presence of the sun and the relatively fleeting existence of humanity provides a profound commentary on our place in the universe.

June’s Coming by John Burroughs

June’s Coming by John Burroughs

by | Jun 3, 2024 | Life Poems, Nature Poems, Poems, Poetry, Summer Poems

Now have come the shining days
When field and wood are robed anew,
And o’er the world a silver haze
Mingles the emerald with the blue.

Summer now doth clothe the land
In garments free from spot or stain—
The lustrous leaves, the hills untanned,
The vivid meads, the glaucous grain.

The day looks new, a coin unworn,
Freshly stamped in heavenly mint;
The sky keeps on its look of morn;
Of age and death there is no hint.

How soft the landscape near and far!
A shining veil the trees infold;
The day remembers moon and star;
A silver lining hath its gold.

Again I see the clover bloom,
And wade in grasses lush and sweet;
Again has vanished all my gloom
With daisies smiling at my feet.

Again from out the garden hives
The exodus of frenzied bees;
The humming cyclone onward drives,
Or finds repose amid the trees.

At dawn the river seems a shade—
A liquid shadow deep as space;
But when the sun the mist has laid,
A diamond shower smites its face.

The season’s tide now nears its height,
And gives to earth an aspect new;
Now every shoal is hid from sight,
With current fresh as morning dew.