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Autumn Reversed

Once snowflakes have recrystalized,
__they rise from where they fell;
in Earth’s alternate universe
__it’s early winter’s knell.
 
The frost unfreezes, rain unfalls,
__leaves littering the ground
ascend into the naked trees
__and soon become unbrowned.
 
As acorns torn from squirrels’ paws
__unripen in the boughs
of oaks de-ageing, dairy maids
__unmilk the oom-ing cows.
 
Then crops befall de-harvesting
__and rainclouds back away,
late summer’s sun says, “Howdy, folks!”
__and blue skies follow grey.

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Paul A. Freeman is the author of Rumours of Ophir, a crime novel which was taught in Zimbabwean high schools and has been translated into German. In addition to having two novels, a children’s book and an 18,000-word narrative poem (Robin Hood and Friar Tuck: Zombie Killers!) commercially published, Paul is the author of hundreds of published short stories, poems and articles.

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16 Responses

  1. Jeremiah Johnson

    “of oaks de-ageing, dairy maids
    __unmilk the oom-ing cows.”

    Love those lines! Nice paring of sound and sense.

    Personally, I love Autumn – but I can think of other seasonal reverses I might write about!

    Reply
    • Paul A. Freeman

      Glad you enjoyed the poem, Jeremiah. Back in the day I recall how horrible late autumn could be in England with its greyness and frosts, trudging to school and thought I’d rewind back to the nostalgia of the seemingly eternal blue skies of the summer holidays.

      Reply
  2. T. M. Moore

    I am delighted with the idea of an autumn rewind. Clever ideas, sparkling images, very effective, amusing, and creative word choice. Thanks for this poem, Mr. Freeman.

    Reply
  3. Roy Eugene Peterson

    Interesting concept that tantalizes the sense. Very well written and rhymed.

    Reply
    • Paul A. Freeman

      Thanks, Roy. Autumn’s a difficult subject to write something new about. I feel sorry for the poor squirrels.

      Reply
  4. Brian A. Yapko

    Paul, I thoroughly enjoyed this unique and clever poem. The conceit you, er, conceived is brilliant! And quite cinematic as we figuratively play Autumn’s tape backwards. A special shout-out for those cows that “oom.”

    Reply
    • Paul A. Freeman

      Yep. In spite of myself, I always giggle at those ‘ooming cows’.

      Thanks for reading and commenting, Brian.

      Reply
  5. Margaret Coats

    While nearly everyone wants blue skies to follow grey, you, Paul, propose a unique imaginative scenario to achieve that. It pokes fun at complainers who might not like autumn itself, and more subtly, at those who prefer an “alternate universe” to the reality of this earth. The autumnal film projected backward strikes the ordinary reader with prospects at once delightful and difficult to comprehend in an orderly way. The “dairy maids” in the picture, though, give a reassuring hint that this poem is pastoral fiction.

    Reply
    • Paul A. Freeman

      There’s a memorable scene in the book Slaughter House 5 when the MC’s powers of controlling time suffer a glitch and a documentary showing production of a WW2 bomb all the way to blowing up its target runs in reverse. I hoped to achieve something like the feel of this classic scene – but more pastoral, as you noted, Margaret.

      Reply
  6. Shamik Banerjee

    I’m in complete awe of this concept! Beautifully presented, much like a video in reverse! Thanks for the read, Mr. Freeman.

    Reply
    • Paul A. Freeman

      Happy to have awed you. Shamik. Thanks for reading and commenting.

      Reply
  7. Maria

    You make it seem easy to write such a poem Mr Freeman.
    Personally I would be in favour of a bit of de-aging.
    Thank you for a fun read.

    Reply
    • Paul A. Freeman

      I’ll be first in line for the de-aging!

      Thanks for reading and commenting, Maria.

      Reply
  8. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    Paul, I love everything about this poem. As a huge fan of this season, I have tried to honour it in words of poetry many times, but never from such an engaging angle. Thank you and very well done indeed!

    Reply
    • Paul A. Freeman

      Thanks for reading and commenting, Susan. I caught the beginning of autumn this year before heading back to the Sahara, and wished I could rewind to summer!

      Reply

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