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Wasn’t it just yesterday
I passed under your blooming branches
inhaled your sweet fragrance
watched white blossoms spill
as you lay a lace tablecloth
on green grass.
Today you toss gold coins
into autumn’s chill
the wind rushes by
sweeps your gilded bronze
into piles for children
who come leaping.
© by Janet Leahy.
Used with the author’s permission.
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Janet’s poems have been published in a variety of print and online journals including The Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar, Wisconsin People and Ideas, Verse Wisconsin and the anthology, Empty Shoes. She is the author of The Storm, a collection of poems about the Iraq War, and a new book of poems, Not My Mother’s Classroom, published in April of 2012. The poems in her new collection are drawn from her experiences as a teacher in Milwaukee public schools. Janet lives in New Berlin, Wisconsin and serves on the board of The Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets. She enjoys gardening, though the deer assume she has planted her garden for them. Her sweet pea vine comes from ancestral roots.
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Wilda Morris:
Lovely! The lace tablecloth is a wonderful image. And how quickly the year progresses from spring to fall!
Posted 10/18/2013 10:20 PM
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abriedi:
I too am wondering how we got from blooming branches to leaf piles so quickly! You captured the images from nature so clearly!
Posted 10/17/2013 11:13 AM
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Maryann Hurtt:
Yes! The jumping in the leaves. Your poem makes me want to go jump again. Thank you.
Posted 10/17/2013 06:53 AM
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Donna Pflueger:
Janet - what wonderful action you leave me at the end! A unique tribute to autumn and the tree - vivid!
Posted 10/16/2013 03:01 PM
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anne.lehman2929@att.net:
Ah, a lovely poetic vision of my favorite time of year--Janet you have made me smile with that wonderful last image of the children. Thank you, Anne
Posted 10/16/2013 12:56 PM
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transitions:
Lovely poem; autumn is Not my favorite time of year but it does bring it's fleeting beauty as so well depicted in this oh-so-original poem ~ thanks, Judy
Posted 10/16/2013 11:22 AM
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KevinArnold:
The images bring us right there.
Posted 10/16/2013 09:55 AM
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TheSilverOne:
Lace tablecloth on green grass...wonderful! Lovely poem.
Posted 10/16/2013 08:39 AM
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ed werstein:
great work, Janet!
Posted 10/16/2013 08:20 AM
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paradea:
Such creative imagery makes this real! Beautiful.
Posted 10/16/2013 08:10 AM
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mimi:
love the "gold coins!" sweet poem...
Posted 10/16/2013 08:02 AM
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gailcomorat:
From the title to the last lineâfaultless! Love the lace tablecloth. This is a writer who knows how to write tight lines.
Posted 10/16/2013 07:57 AM
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rksanders@charter.net:
Beautiful rendering, Janet!
Posted 10/16/2013 07:25 AM
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paula:
Succinct. Wonderful images.
Posted 10/16/2013 06:55 AM
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vscholtz:
Glad that all those pesky leaves on my lawn are getting some good press. Love to read your imagery.
Posted 10/16/2013 05:01 AM
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