October Speaks

Oh, I’ve got heaps to say!

Did you realise I’m two 

opposites in one identity?

This is not always 

well understood.

Call me fractured if you like,

call me split – one thing in the North;

for the Southern Hemisphere

in reversal … 

my own alter ego.

There’s intrigue in being  

simultaneously waxing

and waning (like the moon, 

but not quite): joined 

by shared time.

On Spring days in one place – 

warming gently, shining – 

in the other I’m 

messy Autumn. My people 

here smile, there scowl.

But wait! I’m more different,

even, than that. (Different

at the same time.) I can be 

the golden part of autumn, or 

the grey aspect of Spring.

Expectations vary. Take,

for instance, Halloween.

It’s cold only northerly: 

darkening early, a good time

for ghosts and tricksters to prowl.

Remember your dead, instead 

at chilly Samhain (Halloween’s 

earlier, true name). Southernwise

I’ll then replace it gladly,  

hosting warm, sexy Beltane!

Yes, my usual hobby-horse! I REALLY dislike the corruption of Samhain into Halloween, and the celebration of that Halloween on bright, sunny Spring evenings in Australia – where it's about nothing but dress-ups and lollies. (Also see my reply to Jae Rose in the comments.)

Written for Friday Writings #198: October Writes at Poets and Storytellers United. This October is quite long-winded! That's because I decided to do it as an acrostic – but with each letter of 'October' starting a whole verse instead of just one line.