This poem was inspired by a very brief incident. Staring out into my apartment building's courtyard, I saw the dancing shadows of leaves on branches moved by the wind. It looked to me like rows of hands clapping. I struggled a bit trying to capture it in verse -- a fact due either to a bit of rust or my current dark mood.
My shadow leaves
By Francis Scudellari
My shadow leaves
A frayed, feathered dying
Cast against facing brick
Layered shapes lit
By the down-slanted rays
Of west-directed sun
Blurring movements
Conducted by branches
Not far, but beyond view
The wind-tossed shake,
Shimmer, a rise and fall
Of one-hundred paired hands
All applauding
Re-told dramas un-scened
Nature's final curtain
Drawn close, thick folds
Tinged orange-yellow sad
In autumn's fading light
8 comments:
wonderful poem Francis you caught the scene perfectly..
I read the poem first, then your introduction, then the poem again.
At first reading, I thought - sadness, wistfulness, not a clear picture, several images.
At second reading all was clearer, but it didn't matter.
Lovely poem.
Reading this gives me the sensation of watching leaves move in slow-motion mode. ;) As regards wordplay, the second stanza is a strong favorite. Thank you for sharing this moment with us. Cheers.
If I don't think of any of the words at all, the overall impression is cold/ shaded and lonely. I guess that is what a shadow is, in essence. An interesting piece of writing.
Simply marvelous Francis, I have to agree with Robert...you caught the scene perfectly.
I interpreted this poem as some sort of wishful thinking, and a final acceptance of what has happened or what will eventually happen.
These are my own thoughts and as gadamer said, interaction; so you may have other things in mind.
This is what a poem should be, mysterious and can give various meanings to the reader.
My hats off to you.
This is a wonderful poem. I love the way you compare the tree and movement of leaves to the theatre stage.
Nice work:)
@Confused Thanks Robert ... sometimes the simplest moments can captivate.
@Jakill Both readings fit with what I intended. There was definitely a sadness hanging about me when I wrote it, and the opening line was meant to evoke not just the scene but the sense of my own "shadow" passing on.
@S.L. You're most welcome ... I'm very glad you like it.
@Laura Thanks ... those are very fitting impressions.
@Shinade It took me a few tries, so I'm glad it worked out.
@Jena I think there's a sense of coming to terms with mortality. Finding beauty in the impermanent.
@Angel In a sense the experience described was like watching a movie, with the shadows projected on a brick wall of a screen. That lead me into the overall metaphor.
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