The Love of October
by W. S. Merwin
A child looking at ruins grows younger
but cold
and wants to wake to a new name
I have been younger in October
than in all the months of spring
walnut and may leaves the color
of shoulders at the end of summer
a month that has been to the mountain
and become light there
the long grass lies pointing uphill
even in death for a reason
that none of us knows
and the wren laughs in the early shade now
come again shining glance in your good time
naked air late morning
my love is for lightness
of touch foot feather
the day is yet one more yellow leaf
and without turning I kiss the light
by an old well on the last of the month
gathering wild rose hips
in the sun.
Each Wednesday the students write about a poem in their journal to start class. They have questions (What do you notice about the poem? What is the mood of the poem? What questions do you have about the poem, etc.) to help them. Today they journaled about the poem The Love of October by W. S. Merwin. I was impressed as they did well with this difficult poem. Even I don't pretend to understand the entire poem, but I find that wonderful about poetry. They were able to choose lines they liked (didn't like) and understood (didn't understand) without having to dissect the entire poem. It was fun to hear their thoughts about this poem.
I was in love with October until yesterday. It had been "lightness of touch foot feather the day is yet one more yellow leaf..." until it turned cold, rainy/sleet, and windy.
by W. S. Merwin
A child looking at ruins grows younger
but cold
and wants to wake to a new name
I have been younger in October
than in all the months of spring
walnut and may leaves the color
of shoulders at the end of summer
a month that has been to the mountain
and become light there
the long grass lies pointing uphill
even in death for a reason
that none of us knows
and the wren laughs in the early shade now
come again shining glance in your good time
naked air late morning
my love is for lightness
of touch foot feather
the day is yet one more yellow leaf
and without turning I kiss the light
by an old well on the last of the month
gathering wild rose hips
in the sun.
Each Wednesday the students write about a poem in their journal to start class. They have questions (What do you notice about the poem? What is the mood of the poem? What questions do you have about the poem, etc.) to help them. Today they journaled about the poem The Love of October by W. S. Merwin. I was impressed as they did well with this difficult poem. Even I don't pretend to understand the entire poem, but I find that wonderful about poetry. They were able to choose lines they liked (didn't like) and understood (didn't understand) without having to dissect the entire poem. It was fun to hear their thoughts about this poem.
I was in love with October until yesterday. It had been "lightness of touch foot feather the day is yet one more yellow leaf..." until it turned cold, rainy/sleet, and windy.
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