Day recoils in silence. Autumn’s warmth gives way to dusk.
Beneath this meadow’s elm I pause, released in freedom from the husk of what this life’s become.
Summer wanes in crescent waves shaped to crash on winter’s shore,
haunting sweeter memories, from here within my open door as soul reflects the sum.
Golden sparks of eyelash glint through whispers of their closing,
that as the long rays reach for me, this tired mind retreats in dozing, beneath an ochre sky.
Subtle breezes, hushed and curved, kiss wisps of hair in amber glint,
draws an easy charcoaled line around this space where pausing’s spent, shyly asking “why?”
This gift for quiet passing, this time where I belong,
is all my heart is asking, heaving sighs in weary song, as praying just to stay.
Suspended weightless, bathed in dusk, the nightingale decries her mate,
comes to me on rush of wings to ease my passing state, till echoed light drifts grey.
Till darkness does enfold me, till crickets warn the length of night,
I wake to find my lonely peace draped o’er my arms in sparkled light retrieved from evening’s dawn.
Now calmly through the lea I stroll, pausing, counting, dew’s sweet scent,
toward home and bed my steps oblige, emptied in the moment’s spent and carried on her song.
jaybluepoems 
It’s so nice for me to be reading in the afternoon (British time), where it’s not long until ‘The Elm, the Dusk, and the Nightingale’ will be perfectly timely!
I love the opening line, the immediate silence, and then the build up to
the nightingale’s song.
I especially enjoyed the wavy alliteration in the line:
‘Summer wanes in crescent waves shaped to crash on winter’s shore’
and
‘Golden sparks of eyelash glint through whispers of their closing’ is breathtaking.
Thank you Kim!
Most welcome!
A poem to be read aloud. I particularly like the cadence and the rhymes.
Thank you Jane
🙂
A beautiful flow of words and images all the way through and I especially love ‘This gift for quiet passing, this time where I belong,
is all my heart is asking’
Thank you
This is splendid, I feel such a gentle melancholy in the way the fall is coming… so gentle compared to storms and rain
Hi Bjorn, yes fall seems to be settling in with a certain air of kindness… beautiful time of year.
Some wonderful rhythms and images here.
Thank you
Your word choices, replete with ‘s’ and ‘sh’, wisp & dusk; the sounds are as the soft crunch of fallen leaves. Excellently crafted!
Thank you!
A whispered autumnal gem.
Thanks!
Very lyrical to read Jay ~ I love how the verses sing along ~
I enjoyed the sound and the reflection on one’s life in autumn.
Thank you
How extremely beautiful this poem is. I loved every line, and resonate so much with “praying just to stay.” Me, too.
Thank you
I really enjoyed reading your beautiful poem.
Thank you
Always nice to read your poems.
Thanks Sean