The garden in Pegwell Bay

[November]

In the haze of the bonfire,
In the smell of the sea
Caught among the willow boughs...
You looked to me vague
In the summer twilight,
Pale as the shadow of a fainted prince.

You were a dream of smoke and sand,
A bird resting on the enchanted cliff,
A decaying rose,
A withered sweet pea ;
You lacked reality.

When you left
With the last wind of the season,
It was like waking up in a bed,
Aware that your love reverie
Was nothing,
Nothing but a bunch of air,
A haunting light.

In winter,
I like to imagine
The bare raspberry bushes mad for the snow
Hanging in the black moon of the afternoon.

I see the bones of the orchard
Cracking in the tantrum of the mist
And I see you,
A skeleton of my faded longing
Real now as Death can be.

La grotte en novembre

[Jerryk]

Hello November;
this poem is shrouded in a surreal veil, set in late fall when much of nature is dying, and with it the memory of a love that had bloomed in summer. A sad but beautiful poem that fascinates me. Each verse offers insight anew, and I can't tell which would be my favorite lines; they all are beautiful in their sadness. Good work! Jerry

[November]

Hi Jerry,
Thanks for taking the time of reading me and commenting with words I'm not sure to deserve for that quite old poem of mine but that will make my day.

[Josie]

This was my favorite stanza:
You were a dream of smoke and sand,
A bird resting on the enchanted cliff,
A decaying rose,
A withered sweet pea ;
You lacked reality.

Another favorite part:
The bare raspberry bushes mad for the snow
Hanging in the black moon of the afternoon.

You captured how a lover holds onto a time of love when memories start to fade, but there is still warmth that draws the Narrator to recall the relationship.

[November]

Thanks so much for reading me so accurately and taking time to comment and thanks for the appreciation too, very encouraging.

[tmtamish]

Dear November,

This is a beautifully imaged piece. I could feel it chilling me progressively as I read... I absolutely loved this stanza:

In winter,
I like to imagine
The bare raspberry bushes mad for the snow
Hanging in the black moon of the afternoon.

Haunting.

T.

[November]

Hi !

Thanks for visiting the garden ! Thanks for your very nice comment proving you have been reading with great attention and care. Thank you again.

[wordsmith]

A delightfuly descriptive read
That allows you to linger for awhile on each
Phrase each word as pictures
Ebb and flow in the mind
Wordsmith

[November]

Thanks, Wordsmith for visiting and for taking the time to make a comment, a very accurate one too !

[rupertpupkin]

Hi. Beautiful piece of writing and so throughly deserving of a spotlight. Well done with this dark enchanting poem .Loved it.

[November]

I'm very pleased of your appreciation. Thank you very much for your interest .

[Liquid Bear]

Well, what can I say? If this poem hadn't received the Spotlight it would have been a true travesty! It's fascinating to say the least. So many great images scattered throughout:

"Pale as the shadow of a fainted prince."

"The bare raspberry bushes mad for the snow
Hanging in the black moon of the afternoon"

"I see the bones of the orchard
Cracking in the tantrum of the mist"

I'm not a poetry expert nor do I use the word "masterpiece" lightly. I feel, though, it fully deserves to be used with regards to this poem. Great job.

Bear

[November]

I don't what to say...So much praise, so much appreciation, so much gratification...I don't know... Thank you, all of you, thank you !!

[Liquid Bear]

I don't what to say...So much praise, so much appreciation, so much gratification...I don't know... Thank you, all of you, thank you !!

Well deserved!

Bear