Photo: Victoria Slotto
the end is nigh
nearby i hear a single cricket
echoes of desperation in his call
winter skulks into his day
so slowly.
leaves drop like words of sages
settle gently in dewy grass
molder, nourish the earth, the soul,
profoundly.
keep up your call, my little friend
remind us that the day comes soon
when chill will hold us in its arms
so silently.
Please join us at dVerse Open Link Night where you are welcome to share a poem on any theme, in any form, and read the work of your fellow poets, too.
Victoria C. Slotto, Author 
Amazing how a cricket can bring us right here, right now–such a little critter with a big voice. Nicely done, V!
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Lovely, and moving.
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I like the four line pattern and the lone word at the end of each stanza. It emphasizes the somber tone throughout. The end is nigh, sigh.
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Well, I interpreted this in a much more sombre way, but it’s a wonderful description of autumn of the year and of life… Bell-like, crystal-clear words and precision. I’ve always loved that about your poetry.
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“leaves drop like words of sages
settle gently in dewy grass
molder, nourish the earth, the soul,
profoundly.”
This just make me love Fall even more…if that is possible. 🙂
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remind us that the day comes soon
when chill will hold us in its arms
so silently.
One tolerates the noise as the cold months that follow will be silent. Very true Victoria!
Hank
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We are leaping into a hot dry summer (record temps for October), and already I’m longing for autumn to come back…Lovely poem,Victoria – I like the subtlety of the metaphor.
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oh yes! the all true signs of the next season to come! beautifully expressed! thank you!
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All of Nature has a song..
the song of change
so real
and true..
Many of we have
a dream.. so same..
so cold.. so false
unreal.. Embracing
Change is
Light and
Truth HOT..
Same stays
cold forevermore..:)
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Crickets cricketing outside as we speak. Love the sound. Deep summer here in RSA.
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Victoria, this poem has all the beauty and sadness of this season. I love it. I haven’t written anything worthy of OLN lately but yours is really special.
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Soft imagery of the changes in seasons, the last line of each stanza ties up very strongly!
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The advent of spring – you have foreseen it so well. I am not much of a winter person….the ending is kind of scary to me….
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I love the word molder. This is a great poem.
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Like words of sages… Love that image.
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You know….your poem gives me an appreciation for crickets that I did not have before. Indeed, sing on, Cricket. Sing on as long as you can! Fall ends soon enough……and winter is long.
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That last stanza is stellar. Me with cicadas, you with crickets….and this weekend we will have our first frost and freeze. All the little cricket voices will go silent, except for that one that snuck into our bedroom and keeps us awake and we can’t find. Wonderful feel to this.
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Wonderful use of metaphor 🙂
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Right now a fierce wind is blowing the leaves from the trees. I take up your metaphor and think the sages have had enough of our insanity! We need to wise up quickly. (my mind’s been on the presidential candidates lately, can you tell?)
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Further north, like with Bjorn, winter does not come gently into our life. Here in WA state, in the NW, often, as the year, Indian Summer lingers long, not bleaching the leaves before they tumble onto lawns, gutters, & streets. I like the link to cricket & Fall. Do we hear them in winter? can’t say–living in the suburbs, I never hear them.
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So gently and silently do we fall into that deep sleep ~ I love the cricket’s sounds, and the reminder that the season is fast changing Victoria ~
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This is a lovely end of the day benediction
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This is quiet but lush and gorgeous.
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“Leaves drop like words of sages”…I love that line. There is a gentle acceptance in your words and it seems the cricket’s song is the last link to the fading warm weather.
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Victoria, this is so gentle and soft, yet so strong.. I love when you call the last cricket a little friend, a true reminder for us all….
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