.

Ambience

Oh, what a difference lighting throws
__On these autumnal scenes,
As back and forth it hides or shows
__Drab browns or emerald greens.

When cloud conceals the light of day,
__The life it also drains—
Apparent is the slow decay
__Of foliage that remains,

But let the sun choose to inspire
__And glory will unfold:
The red and orange glow like fire,
__And yellow gleams as gold.

.

.

It Ain’t Over Yet

What I admire about the Sun:
He doesn’t quit till day is done.
He doesn’t check the clock and say
(As I might do), “We’re through today.
Rain clouds have used up all my time;
They stole the show and took the lime-
Light from me,” then sulk and pout
And choose to just “sit this one out.”
Though I might act that way, not he—
Given a minute (or two or three)
Before the evening’s due to start,
He’ll still jump in and do his part:
In golden splendor he’ll appear
To make one moment full of cheer.

.

.

Alive

When the thunder drowns all other sound,
When sheets of rain dissolve the ground,
And lightning strikes so all around
____Is lucky to survive;
When skies are blue, and weather’s fair,
When lilacs gently scent the air,
And silence echoes everywhere,
____I exult to be alive.

When trees that lose their leaves this fall
Next summer offer shade to all,
And spread more wide, and stand more tall,
____Against the endless sky;
When birds their ceaseless ballads sing,
When buried seeds sprout forth each spring,
Since He’s in charge of everything,
____I shall not fear to die.

.

.

A Pennsylvania native now residing in Colorado, Anna J. Arredondo is an engineer by education, a home educator by choice, and by preference, a poet.  She also has poems published in Light, The Lyric, and Time of Singing.

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20 Responses

  1. Sally Cook

    Cropst is one of my favorite Hudson river artists. They are a wonderful school — school of painters, whom you probably know. But what strikes me most is your obvious delight in nature. Though there were one or two places where my toe stumbled on your meter, honestly, I cannot bring myself to nitpick the small stuff. You had acceptable reasons for the use of every one, My objections would be dolefully dry, and your sparkling language so outweighs them I simply won’t… no, can’t. In short — I won’t. Lovely poems, all.

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo

      Thank you, Sally! Actually no, I am not familiar with this school of painters (though my son has studied a bit of art history so he may have). But the painting is gorgeous!

      Reply
      • Sally Cook

        Dear Anna —

        If you ever have time and opportunity, do take a look at a book of Hudson River painters. I am sure you will find more beautiful illustrations for your excellent poems!

  2. Dan Ward

    Anna, I really enjoyed reading all three. Beautiful descriptive imagery of the wonders of Nature, and the seasonal changes. I especially liked Alive. Well done!

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo

      Thank you, Dan. I’ve had “Alive” sitting around in my poetry files for a couple decades. I’m glad I finally got to share it!

      Reply
  3. Paul Freeman

    ‘Ambience’ describes just that in a succinct, exciting way.

    I also loved the sustained personification of the sun in ‘It Ain’t Over Yet’.

    My fave line! ‘… sheets of rain dissolve the ground.’

    Thanks for the reads, Anna.

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo

      Thanks for your detailed comment, Paul. I’m fond of that line too, and I still love that kind of downpour.

      Reply
  4. Julian D. Woodruff

    “Ambience” aligns with recent thoughts of mine, but the expression here is a lot more succinct and elegant.
    “It ain’t over” shows your characteristic humor. I also frequently feel “Day’s long done, ere the sun leaves the trees, or the hills, or the sky …”

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo

      Julian,
      Thank you for your comment. I love it when I find my thoughts captured in verse, so I’m pleased to know I have afforded that in some measure to you.
      That is a fitting quote. From whence? (Google wouldn’t tell me)

      Reply
  5. Cynthia Erlandson

    Beautiful description; and I especially love the rhyme scheme and meter in “Alive”.

    Reply
  6. Cheryl Corey

    “Ambience” is a lovely little poem. When sunlight strikes the foliage, it’s a beautiful sight. The colors are even more vibrant against the clear October sky. And what a fabulous painting by Cropsey! If only we had more classical, traditional painters like that.

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo

      Thank you, Cheryl. It has been an absolutely stunning October this year, and where I live in Colorado it is a rare day when the sun doesn’t make an appearance to set all those colors afire!
      I very much enjoyed your apple butter poem, by the way, and left you a rather belated comment.

      Reply
  7. Brian Yapko

    Anna, I enjoyed each one of these gems. They are filled with gentle good humor and many lovely lines. My favorite lines: “But let the sun choose to inspire/And glory will unfold.” Your poem “Alive” would work very well set to music.

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo

      Thank you, Brian. I am fortunate that the sun often chooses to inspire this autumn! Hmm, to music…

      Reply
  9. Norma Pain

    Thank you for these three lovely poems Anna. I enjoyed them all very much.

    Reply
  10. C.B Anderson

    These were three very adroit seasonal poems — and just when I was beginning to think that every poem about autumn had already been written. Did I write “seasonal?” Two were, but the other was more meteorological or astronomical.

    The birds closest to me don’t sing ballads, only ditties.

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo

      Thank you, C.B. I made an observation similar to yours in my email submitting this group of poems as a “seasonal” contribution.

      Ah, the same kind of birds inhabit my neck of the woods. Sweet little ditties, and the occasional jingle.

      Reply

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