Patterns of Migration

Autumn calls us home where we belong

Patterns of Migration

 

Notes and blessings

Written on the backs of falling leaves

Whispers pressed between

The pages of a leftover schoolbook

A cup of tears passed

Between friends

 

I have been frozen by

That first frost

Lived inside the coldness

Of an autumn rain

A traveler kept prisoner

For the crime of duty

Learns to dread the mercies

Of October in a foreign land

 

Apples are nothing compared

To summer peaches

What is an early snow when

Stacked against a landscape

That never sleeps

 

You can have your bonfires

And your orchards

Dress yourself in scarlet maples

And cobalt skies

I will stand my watch in the tangles

Of golden grass and deep green spires

 

Exhaust yourself in gathering

In working and chasing the ghost

Of long-dead industry

I will tuck my words beneath my wings

Set my course the battered oaks

And fly away home

 

-Zoe Richardson (2022)

Author's Note

Let's bathe in the beauty of our homeland, wherever that may be!

Reviews

[1809 Black Plague Decem..]

Beautifully, spoke, Dear Zoe Richardson,
The imagery is romantic, turbulent.
Certain words hearten I. The books left, the pages,
the "bite frost", the grass,
Powerful, a love-making. Great read! -----Maynard

[Zoe Richardson]

I am glad you appreciate the imagery. I enjoy finding fresh ways to describe each longing. Do not be a stranger. You are welcome here!

[1809 Black Plague December]

Thank you Zoe, :D

[Bhuyanshi Talukdar]

This poem speaks to the idea of migration and the ways in which it can affect a person's sense of home and belonging. The use of vivid sensory details, such as the "golden grass and deep green spires," creates a sense of place and atmosphere that draws the reader into the speaker's experience.

The lines "A traveler kept prisoner / For the crime of duty / Learns to dread the mercies / Of October in a foreign land" are particularly striking, highlighting the sense of isolation and dislocation that can come with living in a new and unfamiliar place.

The final lines of the poem, which assert that "I will tuck my words beneath my wings / Set my course the battered oaks / And fly away home," are a poignant reminder of the power of language and imagination to create a sense of home and belonging, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.

Overall, this is a beautifully crafted and deeply moving poem that speaks to the universal experience of migration and the ways in which it can shape our sense of identity and belonging.

[Zoe Richardson]

First, let me say I am awed by how well you interpret and understand my poetry. A true poet writes words that resonate with the reader because they can apply it to their circumstances, whatever those circumstances may be. But you see the meaning I intended. The meaning that applies to me. That is a gift, and I am honored you chose to share it with me!

[Coyote Poetry]

Dear Zoe. This is the best poem I read in a long time. I had to read again.
"You can have your bonfires
And your orchards
Dress yourself in scarlet maples
And cobalt skies
I will stand my watch in the tangles
Of golden grass and deep green spires"
I loved the above lines. Your amazing use of description allowed the reader to see everything. Thank you dear friend for the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[Zoe Richardson]

I am so glad you liked it! It is a precious gift to return home. Even more precious to know you belong there. Keep reading, my friend. You are always welcome!

[Coyote Poetry]

Was my pleasure dear Zoe and keep writing my dear friend.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

so many migrate away from their homelands...and most eventually want to fly back there.
We often don't appreciate what we have until it is gone...why do we have to leave something to appreciate it?
I wish I knew.
I especially like the last stanza of this.
j.

[Zoe Richardson]

Didn't Dorothy ask the same question? The places I've been to were not as far as Oz but they were just as strange. At least the experience made home more precious. Thank you for your kind comments. It's a pleasure to know you liked this!