Beneath the frost of November moon
they murmur musky mist around the bone
of tree-like antlers, a message of timeless
continuity, melodic but wordless
like the music of rain and flowing streams,
or stars and comets rejoicing in their beams.
Russet and lemon-yellow leaves no longer
rustle but drift and rot, muting Earth the singer
to a wintry whisper of whirling snow and ice,
and months of melancholy darkness:
monochrome that is broken
by sunsets and berries – until spring has woken.
Kim M. Russell, 1st November 2019
My response to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads Art FLASH / 55 in November
Kerry has brought us this month’s art collaboration with Jason Limberg, an artist from Michigan, USA, who has returned to the Imaginary Garden to share his graphite sketch entitled ‘Autumn Breath’.
Jason describes his imagery as: “A drawing that makes me think about crisp fall mornings & colorful leaves.” He also asks his audience what they think the reindeer is whispering to his companion.
writing in north norfolk 
a message of timeless
continuity, melodic but wordless..
I also felt a very strong sense of this communication in the picture.. you phrased it so well.
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Thank you, Kerry. I hope you are keeping well. One of the builders working on our house at the moment is from South Africa, and his father, who has never been out of his home country, is visiting here. He’s been helping out. They hadn’t seen each other for 10 years.
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Oh yes …… “monochrome that is broken by sunsets and berries” ….. how delightful.
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Thank you, Helen.
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A lovely ekphrasic poem. “monochrome that is broken by sunsets and berries” yes. It is a melancholy time of year but, oh how joyous the breaking of spring.
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Thank you, Toni. It’s already getting wintry here.
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What a great reminiscence this was for me of what it was like living in a cool to cold climate…I’ll stick to Australia thanks!
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I’m glad you enjoyed it, Robin. I enjoy this kind of weather. I couldn’t hope with the heat in Australia.
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So many wonderful images – and i love the sense of the world being monochrome in autumn and looking forward to warmer more colourful seasons
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Thank you, Jae.
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I love your descriptions -they paint a powerful image.
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Thank you, Viv!
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😊
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I love those single splashes of colors… to me they act as reminders that monochrome days one day will subside
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They seem to stretch ahead but, come February, colours will start to appear.
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I love the ending to this Kim, of a hopeful spring to come.
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😊
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The way the words sound together are a sheer delight. I loved reading this out loud to myself to hear them.
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Thanks Rommy!
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You have set a lovely mood – I enjoy all seasons – the grey mistiness and white delight of winter is admired by me as much as the greens of summer and vibrant colors of Autumn! I love the four seasons.
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Thank you so much, Margaret. nature is wonderful.
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“a message of timeless continuity, melodic but wordless” I love that line and your whole expression of what the image spoke to you
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Thank you, Susie.
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Though they talk of a colorless winter, I found so many visuals in your verse to fill colors.
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Thank you, Pratibha!
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