Autumn Poems

Repair

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Repair 

Could we just move

Towards each other

Instead of listening

To the voices inside and out

Telling us how divided we are?

Could we remember

Laughter and friendship

Kindness and love

Sorrow and grief

We have tasted together?

Perhaps repair

Does not always need

Many words

But slow movement

Back to each other

A gift, a call

A jar of pickles

We know love is action

Not just pleasant thoughts

And feelings

These times need creativity

To create new ways

Of reconnection

Of loving one another

Our neighbors

Even our enemies

© Julie Clark 2022

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Categories: Autumn Poems, Love, Peace and Reconciliation, Poetry, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment

While You Were Scrolling

While you were scrolling

Oh my soul

The clouds were piling

Up in the west

The leaves were falling

Silently around

The geese began their ascent

Forming their V above you

The sun hit the clouds 

In it’s descent

The light changed 

To a golden hue

Then became pink

Like the summer’s last rose

It lit the tree tops on fire

And the falling leaves

Turned to gold

The light hit your phone

And you looked up

Just in time to see

The geese overhead

The rosey light changing

Yet again

With the sun setting

Over the water

© 2021 Julie Clark

Categories: Autumn Poems, beauty, Birds, Photography, Poetry, Seasons, Trees | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Falling

I.

It seems this year

More than ever

The fall colors are

Astounding me

They call me

To stop 

 Breathe deeper

Slower

Let my burdens fall

I drove up a winding road

Under a canopy 

Of fall foliage 

It felt like a giant hug

An invitation to joy

My heart rejoiced

II.

Walking in the woods today

The maple trees ablaze

Letting go 

Leaf by leaf

Fluttering and falling

To join the ever growing piles

Dampened by the rain 

That my tears

My sorrows 

My loss and grief 

One by one

Would softly fall away

Like the maple leaves

To Become mulchy piles

To feed proceeding generations

© Julie Clark 2021

Categories: Autumn Poems, beauty, Poetry, Seasons, Trees | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Pilgrims Get Weary

On the move again

Grateful for this place

All the beautiful places we have been

Still, it is hard to pick up and leave again

New destination is set

A beautiful part of the state

Awaits exploration

Yet, I am tired

I’m no spring chicken

Packing up and cleaning up

Take a lot of energy

Asking for courage

To take a new unknown path

Ready for whatever lies ahead

May I not waste my small sufferings

On self pity

Praying helps

Remembering those

Forced to flee their homes

Those who have no houses

No place to lay their heads

Instead of self pity 

I choose gratitude and hope

I will be open 

To hear and to see 

The beauty

The messages

The lessons waiting for me

Around the corner

Just ahead

© 2021 Julie Clark

Categories: Autumn Poems, beauty, Faith, growth, Hope, Poetry, Prayer, Travel | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Counting

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(This was a prayer/thought I had Saturday morning before we heard the results of our recent presidential election.)

Are you counting?

Like the votes are being counted 

One by one, day after day?

Are you counting

My every thought

Every move

Every deed

Weighing on scales?

No, not counting

Loving

Pouring it out

Day after day

The love that covers

Every mistake

Wayward thought

Angry word

Unkind action

Hateful look

The self-pity

Self focus

The pride

All of it

Again and again

Until it is covered

Until I learn mercy

And do the same

© 2020 Julie Clark

Categories: Autumn Poems, Faith, God, growth, Hope, Love, Poetry, Prayer | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Arrested by Beauty

Arrested by Beauty

Stopped in my tracks to notice

My senses alive 

To see, to listen, to smell, to touch, to taste

These gifts all around

I am taking beauty personally today

As my beloved and I slowly walk this town

The bald eagle shows off his mighty wing span

The chickadees flitting from one tree to another

With their happy chirps

The autumn leaves in full display calling out:

“Look at me, look at me!”

I brush my fingers through the fragrant lavender

I breathe in the fresh sea air and let the sound

Of waves wash over me

Later the taste of fish tacos caps off our walk

This walking, this paying attention

Calms me, refreshes my spirit, 

Brings me home to my body

Today I am alive, happy and grateful

Categories: Autumn Poems, beauty, Birds, Life, Photography, Poetry, Seasons, Trees | Tags: , , , | 4 Comments

Lectio Divina Poem

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Lectio Divina Poem on

Mark 7:24….

Jesus on the move

One place to another

Sent to the lost children 

Of Israel, yet…

Why is he here

Where the Gentiles live?

Like a magnet pulls

He draws the hungry,

The thirsty, the sick

The poor, the desperate

The greater the need

The louder they call

His meal disrupted

A noisy, needy

Foreign woman

With a child

He heard her cry

And turned his attention

Questions and answers

“Even the dogs eat 

The children’s scraps”

For this answer

She is rewarded

Her child is healed

Her faith commended

Do we see these

Women? mothers?

These men, fathers?

They will do anything

To save their child

Do we hear them?

Or do we turn away

From the disruption

And finish our hearty meals?

© 2019 Julie Clark

Categories: Autumn Poems, borderlands, children, Dogs, Faith, God, lament, Peace and Reconciliation, Poetry | Tags: , , , , | 6 Comments

Grief Haiku (for Marianne)

Marianne helping me with a knotty problem.

(Marianne helping me with a knotty problem)

 

She has gone away

Released her breath and spirit

We have grief and tears

 

Lonely is this life

Soul trapped in body shell

Freed for true union

 

She carried many

Can too much love break your heart

Apparently so

 

© 2018 Julie Clark

 

Categories: Autumn Poems, grief and death, Life, Love, Poetry | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Haiku Practice

 

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Self Examination

 

Heart weigh and dissect

Examine content with care

Cold stone or warm love

 

Breathe

 

Can peace rule my day

Or worry fret it away

A deep breath will help

 

Deciduous

 

Trees finish their work

Shedding of best future hopes

Are we listening

 

© Julie Clark

 

Categories: Autumn Poems, beauty, Hope, Poetry, Seasons, Trees | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Fall Color

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We need this rush

Of fall color and beauty

To fortify us through

The cold dark months

Of winter

 

The little creatures

Are preparing

Some gathering their stores

Some with wings

Taking flight

To warmer lands

Some are growing

Fat and furry

For their long naps

 

Me – I am gathering my yarn

And wood pellets for my stove

Looking forward to long evenings

By the fire

I am hoping my imagination

Will take flight

And I will come up with

Something of use to write

I am in favor of the naps

Though I would prefer

No extra fat or fur

© 2018 Julie Clark

 

Categories: Autumn Poems, beauty, Birds, Poetry, Seasons, Trees | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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