Its not withstanding the urgency
of breath and feeling,
molding into those things which
we say and do within our masks,
hiding in each moment.
But there are times,
when letting guards down,
we recognize our real faces
and wings unfurl
in the cold light of a November morning.
Wedge of deep silver
shadowed against the breast
of stone and water
opening isthmus arms
crux of land and sky
embracing water, earth deep,
bronze and gold, russet, indigo.
And leaving the warmth of bed and nights embrace,
I stretch toward the dark dawn,
aware of all mortality and grace
and the singular thought of ones life.
This too shall pass and like the meadow grasses
separating grain from chaff,
my soul will someday join the autumn wind
and sing shining into the cold morning.
thecourseofourseasons
Observations from the Garden
thecourseofourseasons 
This is superb
This is alive with great emotions
Lovely flow to your poem – it moves the reader through the lines with some very moving imagery
‘sing shining into the cold morning’ ~~~~ my mantra for November. Thank you.
Beautifully penned, and the last two lines were wondrous!
I love November mornings, especially huffing and puffing my own breath into the cold air and watching the clouds I’ve created. Sadly, masks prevent that in towns and cities. I especially enjoyed the lines:
‘Wedge of deep silver
shadowed against the breast
of stone and water
opening isthmus arms’
and
‘my soul will someday join the autumn wind
and sing shining into the cold morning’.
Now that is a beautiful ending!
A profound contemplation. Luv that its fone in the newness of dawn
Stay safe
Much💙love
Hi Kathleen,
(I always you see in twitter, by the way, smiles.)
I love the autumn-winter colors and the reflection on one’s life:
aware of all mortality and grace
and the singular thought of ones life.
Hi Grace – you do? What is your twitter @ ? I have enjoyed Twitter very much over the last few years.
Thank you for your kind comment – it is a wonderful prompt.
“…and sing shining into the cold morning” What a great close to a masterful November, Kathleen. Well done
Thank you, Ron, I so appreciate your kind words.
Hey Kathleen…WE’RE BAAAAAACKKKK. Death scares me, regardless of how much i say that i’m not. This really feels like the change into winter, the acceptance of things getting colder, like life changing in the cycle of the seasons. ‘This too shall pass’…one of the most fundamental principles of existence
Hey, Stuart – listen , thank you for doing this with me tonight. I needed something to keep my mind occupied!
And thank you for the insightful comment. The change in seasons, in life, the cycle of springs vitality to autumns diminishment – very significant in my life and writing.
This is deeply philosophical.💝 November wears many hats and reminds us to pause and see the world in a different but significant light. Especially love; “I stretch toward the dark dawn, aware of all mortality and grace and the singular thought of ones life.” I love that we used the same title! 😉
This was a wonderful prompt and I love that we used the same title too. Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
Beautiful, raw, and hopeful near the end. ❤
Thank you, Lucy, for this very lovely comment.
For each new November, I feel closer to my own death… maybe we need this time of the year to remember our own mortality. I hope you keep safe, great to see you again.
Thanks, Bjorn. Stuart McPherson and I were chatting and thought we would drop by the pub tonight. So happy to see you keeping the lights on for poets and poetry. And I always appreciate your kind comments on my work. Stay safe and be well, my friend.