Thursday, October 03, 2024

Poetry Friday: "First Fall" by Maggie Smith


Last week I wrote about motherhood (with a little help from Wallace Stevens) and this week Maggie Smith (the other one, the poet) is doing the talking on the subject. This short piece is poignant and beautiful. Enjoy "First Fall." 


First Fall
by Maggie Smith

I’m your guide here. In the evening-dark
morning streets, I point and name.
Look, the sycamores, their mottled,
paint-by-number bark. Look, the leaves
rusting and crisping at the edges.
I walk through Schiller Park with you
on my chest. Stars smolder well
into daylight. Look, the pond, the ducks,
....


~~~~~~~~~~

The Poetry Friday round-up this week is being hosted by the terrific

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

18 comments:

Cathy Stenquist said...

Thanks for the poem Karen. My grandson is at the age of pointing to everything and telling me his name for things. It's like I am learning a new language! BTW the link did not work.Have a good day!
Cathy

Rose Cappelli said...

Maggie Smith had me at "the evening-dark morning streets." Thanks for sharing.

Linda B said...

And that is what mothers do, bring in the world for their children. It's lovely, Karen. I'll pass it on to my family's moms!

Karen Edmisten said...

Cathy, thank you for letting me know about my link error! I just fixed it. Thanks so much!

Karen Edmisten said...

Rose, yes, isn't that perfectly evocative of that kind of morning?

Karen Edmisten said...

It's one to pass on for sure, Linda. Thanks for stopping over!

Patricia Franz said...

" a porthole/sighed here" -- gah! She's such an incredible see-r. And a belated thank you for leading me to George Bilgere's daily poems! What a joy!

Marcie Flinchum Atkins said...

Love this! Maggie Smith is one of my favorite poets!

jama said...

Beautiful poem, love it! "Ice sleeving the gray bare branches" -- wow! Now I need to read more of Smith's poetry. Thanks for sharing!

laurasalas said...

Wow, such a feeling of mystery and tenderness in this poem. Thanks, Karen!

Karen Edmisten said...

Patricia, yes, she has such a keen eye and I'm so glad you're enjoying Bilgere's daily poems. I am too!

Karen Edmisten said...

Marcie, yes, she's amazing!

Karen Edmisten said...

Jama, she paints the most eloquent pictures, doesn't she?

Karen Edmisten said...

Happy to share it, Laura!

Tabatha said...

Gorgeous poem. Isn't it funny how, each time you read a poem, you might be struck by a different part of it? This time what struck me was "The first time you see/something die, you won’t know it might/come back." So poignant and lovely. Thanks, Karen!

Carol Varsalona said...

Karen, I never read this poem before. It is beautifully written and these words, frost soft and ice sleeving presented a dazzling image of a winter day.

Karen Edmisten said...

I love that line too, Tabatha.

Karen Edmisten said...

Smith is excellent, isn't she?