Autumn Will
By: heather grace stewart
tags: author heather grace stewart, autumn, colourful leaves, fall leaves, leaves, oak tree, Poetry, poetry technique, repeated refrain, rhyme, two rhymes, villanelle
Category: Faith, Family, Friendship, Hope, Life and Death, Life's challenges, Love, Modern Villanelles, Poems about Hope, Poems about Life and Death, Poems on making a difference, Poems that rhyme, Poetry, Relationships, Thoughts, Writing
The great oak sways proud, stands high,
Then paints its final will against an autumn sky:
That is how I wish to live, and how I wish to die.
Its branches like a lover’s arms; its shadows where the lonely lie,
Where the old find shelter and the young learn to fly—
The great old oak sways proud, stands high.
Embracing change from day to nigh,
It bows to hold the children; uplifts all passers by—
That is how I wish to live, and how I wish to die.
Its last leaf falls with bright flamboyance,
A crimson battle cry! — and still
The great old oak sways proud, stands high.
Its branches have broken, its roots run dry,
Reduced to a stump, it asks not why—
Just comforts each friend that
comes there to cry.
That is how I wish to love, and how I wish to die.
Photo: Oak Tree at Sunset, public domain image
A Note About This Poem
The leaves on the oak trees in our backyard are beginning to turn a brilliant orange and yellow. As I was admiring the colourful show through our kitchen window early this morning, it reminded me of one of my rare rhyming poems, and the only attempt I’ve ever made at a villanelle.
I’m really terrible at definitions, and also at following “rules” in poetry, but in brief, a villanelle, made popular in English-language poetry in the 1800s and based on French poems in this form, is always 19 lines, and has only two rhyming sounds. It also has a refrain that repeats. Here is a better definition: The Villanelle
I tried. I really did. But my attempt ended up being 17 lines, and I didn’t exactly follow the rules – though I think I came close. I didn’t want my rhymes or the meaning of the poem to suffer simply because I needed a certain number of syllables or lines. I think this was the most challenging poem I’ve ever written. After writing this one, I have even more respect for the great rhyming poets. In case some of you were wondering, some of my favourites are Blake, Tennyson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Dickinson, and Frost. I think my favourite may be a little-known American poet named Sarah Teasdale. I adore her poem, “Barter.” I’ll have to leave my Canadian and modern influences for another blog, as there are several.
Autumn Will – lovely poem. Reminded me of the Simon and Garfunkel song, “April, She Will Come” — similiar kind of mood/weather imagery. consider this high praise!
Nate
Your poetry and photography are magnificent!
For information on growing your grief and loss it takes hope as well. Please see my articles at http://www.sherrieh.wordpress.com on love and relationships. Many angel blessings!
Found you by tag surfing for ‘rhyme’; i’m impressed at even a nearly-villanelle! – must try one sometime. I do like ‘Autumn Will’, especially ‘paints its final will’ and (even more especially) the ‘crimson battle cry’. A poem full of joy and oaklike strength. 80)
Nice work. (poems and photography)…and a nice blog too…thanks for sharing. Best, Darren King
Majestic thoughts Heather. Thoughts that befit a majestic tree.
Congratulations, Heather, for crafting this lovely poem!
“Where the old find shelter and the young learn to fly”
I love that sentence, great poem!!!!