We live in a yellow wood in autumn. Makes me think of Robert Frost and "The Road Not Taken". It's very pretty, until the leaves fall. Then it becomes a ton of work moving the leaves around.
My back hurts, and I had almost no spare time this weekend. I could tell you about how frustrating my 12-hour day was at work with the water tank on Saturday and the part I couldn't find, or bitch about all the yard work we did today, or complain about the hours we spent removing the upstairs bathroom shower doors while we still have a construction dumpster in our driveway to throw them in. But instead, I choose to bring you this:
Gathering Leaves
Spades take up leaves
No better than spoons,
And bags of leaves
Are light as balloons.
I make a great noise
Of rustling all day
Like rabbit and deer
Running away.
But the mountains I raise
Elude my embrace,
Flowing into my arms
And into my face.
I may load and unload
Again and again
'Till I fill the whole shed,
And what have I then?
Next to nothing for weight;
And since they grow duller
From contact with earth,
Next to nothing for color.
Next to nothing for use.
But a crop is a crop,
And who's to say where
The harvest shall stop?
-Robert Frost
Whenever you want to feel grounded and still let your spirit soar, I recommend that you read some Frost. I find his poetry especially suitable in autumn.
9 comments:
a fantastic poem, I have to give it to my son when he grumbles about the leaves
and a beautiful photo!!
thanks
What a beautiful yard you guys have! Frost coupled with Marian McPartland is the ideal day!
I do not like poetry at all BUT have always loved Frost ... even as a child. Go figure.
Wow, my forest I live in (on all sides) looks like something from a Tim Burton nightmare. Yours is gorgeous.
I like the alternative. I have always been a R. Frost fan.
Wow. Before I even read the text under the picture, my first thought was "two roads diverged in a yellow wood."
And I too am quite familiar with the onerous task of removing vast quantities of leaves from yards with huge trees. Now that I live in the city, that's one thing I can say I don't miss.
Debo Blue - another Marian McPartland fan? How great!
I want your porch (or whatever you call it). I'm covetous.
That is a pretty view, and Robert Frost always seems appropriate in the fall. Sounds like you just need to relax in a comfortable place on the porch with a glass of wine and watch the leaves fall.
dianne - I was torn between several that I could have quoted. Thanks for the photo compliment.
debo - I shall have to check out Marian McPartland. It is a great yard, and we enjoy it.
beth - I'm not that crazy about a lot of poetry, but Frost and Blake are always a good read. You should post photos of that Tim Burton forest!
jennylu - good taste.
twg - I kept thinking of that poem the whole time I was working amongst the yellow leaves. And a second person who mentions McPartland. Will definitely check that out.
kat - we call it a porch. It is a great place to hang out -- the outdoor room. A bit cold nowadays, but we have blankets.
dr s - the view is a big part of what sold us on this particular house, which we continue to improve and mold into what we call home. The yard didn't need any improvement. As for the porch, there will be plenty of mild winter days during which we can enjoy hot beverages, or even beer and wine out there. It is just about time to make peppermint patties (hot cocoa with peppermint schnapps). Or hot bourbon cider, or mulled wine...
Very pretty. We have lots of yellow turned leaves here too. (Well, we did a few weeks ago. Now their all brown.) But I still don't rake them up. That's what landlords are for.
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