Photo: Kadri Vosumae on Pexels.com
“Do you know?” she asked,
Ankles deep in gold leaves.
“Do you know what the earth
meditates upon in autumn?”
“Ask the acorns,” he said.
“Query the roots of the trees.”
“Would they not,” she returned,
“Tell only their thoughts?
Would they hear the earth’s song
Over that of their seed?”
“Ask the squirrels, then,” he sighed
Rake in hand, a wind urging
His work to proceed.
“Or the sky, or the clouds
Or your own heart
Beneath that old tweed.
Ask the earth
As it speaks to the autumn,
While the soles of your feet
Fill these bags
Top to bottom.”
For dVerse Tuesday Poetic: the question as poetry
Na'ama Yehuda 
I like how you’ve woven your poem through a conversation 🙂
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🙂 Thanks, I did have some fun with it … 😉 Glad it came across! 🙂
Also, gotta say – I adore the comments I get from you. You are so generous in your comments – I very much appreciate it! 🙂 And, you’re fun!
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I appreciate that you appreciate me being fun. I’m sure there are those who consider me too flippant at times.
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You is be you is what make you you, me think! 🙂
I like you just the way you are. 🙂
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Glad of that, cos I’ve grown too much to change me now. 🙂
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LOL. I think I’ve grown old enough to get to the age that I don’t require or expect that in others … and either like them or not as they are. 🙂
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Me too. 🙂
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🙂 I so much prefer being me now to being me when younger … so there’s that. … 😉
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I know it’s corny but, truth is, if only I’d known then what I know now. Maybe contentment is the gift of age.
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This is excellent – some very nice wordsmithing
“Rake in hand, a wind urging
His work to proceed.”
and the conversation between He and She – the differences between their outlooks seen in the questions and answers.
Thank you for joining in and glad Neruda inspired such a poem
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Thanks, Laura! I have downloaded the Neruda questions – this is such an excellent idea to use, not just for poetry, but for story prompts and discussion. I’ve heard of him before, but not actually looked at the questions, and your prompt became an excellent introduction for me. THANK YOU! I’m sure it’ll come handy in my work with older children and teens, as well!
So fun that the way I worked the question it into the poem, worked! 🙂
Na’ama
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I am sure Neruda will be glad he has given so much inspiration and future ideas too
“”so I wait for you like a lonely house till you will see me again and live in me. Till then my windows ache.” ~ Pablo Neruda”
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Sigh.
This is so beautiful.
🙂
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p.s. I like how Neruda rhymes with Yehuda 😉
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I didn’t think of it till this moment! YEAH! 🙂
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“… Or your own heart Beneath that old tweed.”
I love this conversation and the man’s impatience with the question, as though there is an answer but you have to find it for yourself.
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Love this observation! And so glad his impatience came through .. 😉 Even if … he might be right, and some answers are there to be found (perhaps while one stops procrastinating and gets some of her chores done … 😉 )
Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment!
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Love the conversational style of this! I chose the same quote but find your response more entertaining 🙂
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Of course I jumped right over to read yours! I like it a lot! It is always lovely to see how different people take a prompt to totally different moods and images. So fun!
Glad you liked mine! 🙂
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Thanks for reading mine as well!
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🙂 My pleasure! 🙂 Tis what this is all about, isn’t it? Fun!
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Such a clever approach answering with your two characters, really enjoyed, thank you x
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Thank you, Catherine-Jayne! 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
And thank you, too, for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment. Much appreciated! 🙂
Na’ama
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I think the soles of feet on the earth would provide a very good answer. (K)
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🙂 Me agree! 🙂
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Well-done write on the intrusion of the philosophical into the mundane, and vice versa.
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Thank you! I am so glad you’ve noted this weaving. 🙂 Great comment! 🙂
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Wonderful use of dialog- two very distinctive voices. nice blend of impatience, understanding and practicality for the naivete of the querent who still values philosophical arguments over experience.
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Thank you, Christine! I think she might also value watching someone else do the work over having to actually – literally? – get into the nitty gritty of chores … 🙂
I’m so glad the voices worked and that the blending of these came through! Great comment and I appreciate your taking the time to write it here! 🙂
Na’ama
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Beautiful!
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Thank you!
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