Now, and for the next few days, I am trying to remember there is a world beyond the elections, there is a life of the mind, heart and body that will continue after November 2. Towards that end I am striving for some sanity and peace. Everyone I talk to agrees that what we have begun, the resurgence of political awareness, passionate caring and involvement will go on after the election. The fight will continue, no matter what. If you saw Fred Trippi on Bill Moyers last night you know what I mean. But so will the cycle of life, the seasons, love, family and some sort of hope.
My contribution to sanity and hope today is a poem I wrote a few years ago at this same time of year. I love the autumn, this huge change of weather, scenery, bird and plant life. It has always been the true beginning of a new year for me. It is the new year in the Jewish tradition, it is the new year for academic life. Much of my life has been spent in academia of one sort or another. And for 23 years I've lived with a Jewish partner. So, happy new year, let us all continue to fight like hell for the living and pray like hell for the dead.
ALL HALLOWS
These are the days of long shadows,
houses, trees and barns,
telephone poles,
stretched across the stubbled fields,
the heartbreak of October light.
And then the geese:
morning and evening wedges
crossing the horizon
trailing autumn in their
busy mournful cries;
trailing memory,
the scent of apples,
dark leaves, morning mist.
The season of ghosts,
souls returned,
blowing past like leaves,
cold mornings, early dark;
trying, like the geese, to tell us
something we almost remember,
something we almost hear.
13 comments:
The Jews and Celts celebrated the end of the year, as did many ancient agricultural peoples, at the end of the harvest season. So Happy Halloween!
A little more on the Irish/Celtic roots of Halloween:
Samhain
Encyclopædia Britannica Article
---"also spelled Samain (Celtic: “End of Summer”), one of the most important and sinister calendar festivals of the Celtic year. At Samhain, held on November 1, the world of the gods was believed to be made visible to mankind, and the gods played many tricks on their mortal worshipers; it was a time fraught with danger, charged with fear, and full of supernatural episodes."
Neil
This is beautiful!! I spent the whole day with Virginia, out tramping in the woods with the digital camera...... it was lovely!!! Thainking ofyou, judi
linguistic nitpicking: it is "La Dia de los Muertos"
Sorry - I feel like a heel for even bringing it up. That didn't stop me from doing it, however.
wil
wil - when linguistically picking nits it's always a good idea to check your dictionary first. if you do so, you will see that "día" is a masculine noun. therefore, it is "el día" just as i typed it. it is an exception to the general rule that tells us that, in Spanish, feminine nouns end in "a" and masculine nouns in "o." learning these exceptions prevents silly mistakes, and embarrassing picking of nits where no nits exist.
but i'm always glad for your visits and comments, appreciate you and hope you continue to visit.
This is a beautiful poem and I need help in accepting the onset of autumn this year. I see the beauty of fall and this year....it just reminds me that winter is not far behind. I'm feeling seasonally affected already.
thank you, kat and judi, for your comments on the poem. it's scary to put my poetry out in the public eye, so thanks for your kindness.
neil - it was indeed the beginning of the spiritual year for the celts (and most agricultural groups), as it still is for the jews.. my true religion, if i can be said to have one, is nature, or earth, worship. as we get further and further away from our connections we no longer feel this sense of a seasonal rhythm. most of us no longer harvest, so we have nothing real to celebrate at this time of year. except bags and bags of raked-up leaves. which if shredded and composted, harvested really, in our own yards yield a wonderful crop of soil additive substance. beliefnet.com has much more and better info on Sammein than the encycopedia entry you reference.
Thanks for the wonderful poem. It's a beautiful Fall day here -- temps hovereing in the mid-sixties, skies clear, humidity low with the leaves ranging from bright yellow to deep crimson. Yesterday morning the geese flew over our home and a neighbor brought us a bunch of bittersweet to hang on our door. Later this afternoon I'll indulge in my first hot cocoa of the season, topped with a fistfull of marshmallows. Yummy... (Thank you for your fine election work. The Associated Press is reporting Delaware will most likely go for Kerry. Good news here too: our local paper reports the polls have tightened considerably in the last ten days. Missouri is no longer listed as an "easy win" for Bush; we're now "too close to call." Now we enter the time for prayers. Good thoughts your way on election day...
I'm going to thank you here too, Tim, for your election work. if MO goes for Kerry it will be almost a miracle. DE was always pretty certain, it's only this southern part of the state that is so republican and retro. we have, after all, two Dem senators and a Dem governor. our lone rep is a Rep, but a very moderate one. so, i hope we keep up the Dem winning streak. the state went for Gore last time. i wish we were all close enough to have a huge party, no matter the election outcome. we all need to get ripped and let it all go, relax the tensions of the past ten months of work.
Since you asked...I love the poem. If I were doing a workshop, I'd question the need for lines 2 and 3, and the effectiveness of the word "busy" (urgent?) But otherwise, it gets a Wow.
I don't feel bad that you beat on Old Dog. He's a registered Republican.
i didn't really mean to "beat on him," Paul, was just defending my own honor. registered Rep, huh? but maybe he won't vote that way?
Wonderful reading. I'm glad I chose this journal as one to catch up on this morning.
yes, indeed, wonderful reading. I'm biting my nails today, but tomorrow, we'll take a break from the anxiety of the 2004 elections and celebrate my best friend's bday....Thanks for sharing the beautiful poem!
Your poem makes my heart ache and sing at the same time.
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