Thursday, October 13, 2022

Poetry Friday: "And Now it's October" by Barbara Crooker


She's always right. 


And Now it’s October 
by Barbara Crooker 

the golden hour of the clock of the year. Everything that can run 
to fruit has already done so: round apples, oval plums, bottom-heavy 
pears, black walnuts and hickory nuts annealed in their shells, 
the woodchuck with his overcoat of fat. Flowers that were once bright 
as a box of crayons are now seed heads and thistle down. All the feathery
....
(Read the rest here. The final lines are everything: "...but nothing can stopper time.") 

~~~~~~~~~~

Drop by Matt Forrest Esenwine's Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme for the Poetry Friday round-up. 

18 comments:

Sally Murphy said...

Oh yes, those final lines. I liked "it slides though our hands like a rope
of silk."
Thank you for sharing.

Matt Forrest Esenwine said...

Was thinking the same thing Sally mentioned - this is thoughtful and full of comforting, memorable imagery.

Linda B said...

Oh, I love Barbara Crooker who always seems to speak to us about life in the clearest words. Tha line about the moon - the winter's beauty. Thanks, Karen!

jama said...

Sigh, what a splendid poem. Barbara does indeed get it right every time.

Karen Eastlund said...

The whole thing is gorgeous! Yes, it is my favorite month, my birth month, and indeed the golden hour of the year. Thank you for sharing.

mbhmaine said...

Oh, I just love Barbara Crooker. Her poems are both accessible and richly layered. Thanks for sharing this one.

Mary Lee said...

Ahh...thank you. So perfect. This one's a keeper.

Karen Edmisten said...

Sally, yes, I liked that line too!
Matt, Crooker creates such lovely imagery.
Linda, seconding the moon line!
Jama, "splendid" is a splendid word for this one.
Karen, happy birthday!
Molly, yes, I think of her stuff as deceptive — so seemingly simple, but, as you said, layered.
Mary Lee, keeping it along with you!

Linda Mitchell said...

One of my favorites. You just can't beat October for drama!

Patricia Franz said...

We all watch in blissful earnestness for it to arrive and then hearts swell as we watch October snatch the season away!

Anonymous said...

Loved the poem, how she shows us that time slips through our hands “like rope.” A skillful buildup to that line. Thanks for sharing it.

Anonymous said...

Karen, anonymous is Janice S. :)

Heidi Mordhorst said...

Thanks for this, Karen. Why isn't Barbara Crooker more famous, hmmm?

Karen Edmisten said...

Linda, yes, gotta love the October drama. :)
Patricia, yes, such anticipation and such a fleeting time.
I agree, Janice (aka Anon 😄). It's skillfully done.
Heidi, I know, right?

Jone said...

The bottom heavy pears, swoon! I love Crooker's poems.

Karen Edmisten said...

I agree, Jone. She has a magic touch. :)

author amok said...

How beautiful. I can picture the feathery autumn grasses catching the light.

Karen Edmisten said...

Laura, that's such a lovely image, isn't it?