and nature, two of my favorite things! Nice work. ~ Geezer

On the whole I cannot appreciate rhymed verse unless its Yeats or somebody. I think you should bring that ancient tradition back. With odes to the blessed trees. Thanx for sharing. An enjoyable one.

P.S. is that a wolf in your photo he/shes very beautiful

John

Dear Wolfcat,

I had trouble with this poem.

first off, was the 'silent wintry cries'...which feels like a contradiction.

Then I tried to imagine the 'faded leaves' that had been reduced to dust. I was fine with that, it was the leaf dust breaking underfoot. Dust wouldn't really makes any noise or be felt underfoot. The snow would crunch, but the poem reads that it is the dust making the crunch. I am not trying to be difficult...but because of those lines, I lost interest in the poem.

The trees "stretch their fingers to the sky" in the first stanza, but then they are dormant forms in the final stanza...which doesn't compute to me, unless they have become dormant as the weather turns into Winter before they had their final stretch.

I, also, long for spring to come
And show its warm, bright face - bright face feels a little lame and forced.

I think all the words are there, they just need some logic included to make it flow effortlessly.

kind regards,

HS

Far be it from this beginner to be too critical of a published poem.I liked the feeling and rhyme on a topic I often visit myself. Thanks for sharing................scribbler

The undressed oaks of winter [brilliant first line]
Stretch their fingers to the sky,
Contemplating autumn's end,
And sharing silent wintry cries.

Brown leaves have faded to the ground
And back again to dust,
Breaking underneath my feet,
Veiled beneath the frosty crust.

They stand helpless in the bitter cold, [helpless? maybe not]
Some bent from ancient storms,
Keeping watch in winter's twilight,
These majestic, dormant forms. [ a bit cliched]

Like these oaks, I now abide
In a haunting, cold embrace.
I, also, long for spring to come
And show its warm, bright face.

I would love to see a stronger ending." We endure all', "nothing destroys us", "our uprushing roots will fuck you in spring". Just a few suggestions, teehee

I enjoyed this poem.
For both, the imagery and the format.
Loved the strict sense of meter you have introduced.
To my ear it works pretty well throughout, except for the last line of each verse.

With the greatest of respect may I suggest a possible alternative below for your consideration. (I have, for ease of understanding, used capitalised font on all the stressed syllables, to show how I read this:)

The UNdressed oaks of winter
Stretch their FINgers to the sky,
CONtemplating autumn's end,
A SILent wintry cry.

Brown LEAVES have faded to the ground
And BACK again to dust,
BREAKing underneath my feet,
BeNEATH the frosty crust.

They stand HELPless in the bitter cold,
Some BENT from ancient storms,
Keeping WATCH in winter's twilight, these
MaJEStic, dormant forms.

LIKE these oaks, I now abide
In a HAUNTing, cold embrace.
I, ALSO, long for spring to come
And ONCE more show its face.

Thanks for sharing this one,

Psyve

They stand helpless in the bitter cold,
Some bent from ancient storms,
Keeping watch in winter's twilight,
These majestic, dormant forms.

I really liked this stanza, but do also like the suggestion to change bent to rent. Congratulations on the publications! I very much enjoyed the rhyming sequence.

always, Cat

I love this write a great deal, for autunm is my favorite time of year, I 've written many poems on the subject.
your is absolutly fantiatic.
Eddie C.