We who with songs beguile your pilgrimage / And swear that Beauty lives though lilies die, / We Poets of the proud old lineage / Who sing to find your hearts, we know not why ... (James Elroy Flecker)

6.10.23

October

 

Octogenarian now, yet I still carry within me

Child, teenager, and all those younger women

That make up the layers and the fusion of myself.

On this day in early October, it seems well-timed –

Being at a place where the year slows before

Ending, yet also where the season renews – to

Recall all that I have been, I have become, I am.



Written for Magaly's prompt, October, for Friday Writings #97 at Poets and Storytellers United.





33 comments:

  1. Beautiful especially that last line

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    1. Thank you, Marja, I was hoping someone would appreciate that last line.

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  2. A place where the year slows down seems like a lovely spot for introspection and recharging. We are just a sum of so many moving parts, all with different dates and textures. Precious.

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  3. I very much like this slant on a slowing down before ending. We are an amalgamation with more layers to come. :)

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  4. I love how smoothly this piece flows. I'm still in my early 50's but October does lend itself well to contemplation.

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    1. Possibly even more so for you, living where it's autumnal.

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  5. "I still carry within me

    Child, teenager, and all those younger women

    That make up the layers and the fusion of myself."

    So well said! Also this is probably the first acrostic poem I have ever read that truly worked. Brilliant

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    1. Well, thank you for that high praise!

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    2. I think I am in the October of my life!

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    3. Dear Colleen, it seems to me that whetrever you are in your life, you live it with grace.

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  6. Ending, yet also where the season renews – to
    Recall all that I have been, I have become, I am.

    Love your acrostic Rosemary! How wonderful to have the luxury of appreciating the goodness of life's privileges and being blessed with a long life.

    Hank

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  7. Full marks for your well written acrostic, with a special flourish in the last line. ♥

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  8. As a septuagenarian I totally understand and relate to your poem. I love "the layers and the fusion of myself"

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  9. On behalf of every octogenarian I know: Brava, Rosemary ~ Brava!!

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  10. Well done ! It is no mean feat to be an octogenerian

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  11. Thi͏s poe͏m i͏s a͏ be͏a͏uti͏ful re͏fle͏cti͏on on the͏ pa͏ssa͏ge͏ of ti͏me͏ a͏nd the͏ la͏ye͏rs of e͏xpe͏ri͏e͏nce͏s tha͏t sha͏pe͏ our i͏de͏nti͏ti͏e͏s. The͏ wa͏y you've͏ use͏d the͏ me͏ta͏phor of the͏ octoge͏na͏ri͏a͏n to re͏pre͏se͏nt the͏ a͏ccumula͏ti͏on of ye͏a͏rs a͏nd me͏mori͏e͏s i͏s both cle͏ve͏r a͏nd poi͏gna͏nt. It's a͏ profound re͏mi͏nde͏r tha͏t wi͏thi͏n us, we͏ ca͏rry the͏ e͏choe͏s of our pa͏st se͏lve͏s, e͏a͏ch pha͏se͏ contri͏buti͏ng to the͏ pe͏rson we͏ a͏re͏ toda͏y. Your words e͏voke͏ a͏ se͏nse͏ of nosta͏lgi͏a͏ a͏nd i͏ntrospe͏cti͏on, whi͏ch ma͏ny re͏a͏de͏rs ca͏n re͏la͏te͏ to. Your choi͏ce͏ of words a͏nd i͏ma͏ge͏ry a͏dds de͏pth to the͏ poe͏m, ma͏ki͏ng i͏t a͏ thought-provoki͏ng pi͏e͏ce͏. Ke͏e͏p up the͏ e͏xce͏lle͏nt work, a͏nd conti͏nue͏ to e͏xplore͏ the͏se͏ profound the͏me͏s through your poe͏try. Your ta͏le͏nt for i͏ntrospe͏cti͏ve͏ wri͏ti͏ng shi͏ne͏s through i͏n thi͏s pi͏e͏ce͏. 👍👌👏😊

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    1. In fact I am literally an octogenarian! (84 next month.) I'm glad you like this, and I do plan to continue making poems as long as I can.

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  12. What a lovely resolved acrostic poem, Rosemary, very satisfying to read. The wisdom of the years comes through. My mum has also just become an octogenarian recently, it's a special number, I think! :-)

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    1. I'm glad you liked it, Sunra. I'm certainly glad I have lived into my eighties! (And hope to keep on doing so a good while yet.) I expect your mum is pleased about it too.

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  13. Oh, I so relate. I'm almost 60 but can close my eyes and remember how myself as a child felt. It is funny that we can do that, feel OUR mother, our fears and dreams as a child. We never really leave that little child inside of us

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  14. I just love this, Rosemary. That last line was perfect.

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  15. Wonderful acrostic with a perfect ending.

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