October Harvest,
by Lola Lucas
This week’s poem was suggested
by Yosh Golden who observes, “Lola
was a quiet master of words. Here,
is lyrical imagery and a starkly
objective conclusion.” We print
it in Lola’s honor and remembrance.
For more on Lola Lucas, see page 15.
Pumpkins, no less than oranges,
Hold the rain of spring
The sunshine of summer
In their flesh.
Entwined, the vines
Tangle, the dirt
Presses into the rind.
The overcast sky
Reminds that winter
Will arrive, yes,
“The frost is on the pumpkin,”
Not today, but soon.
In the October country
Of middle age
It dawns on us that we, too,
Are ripening toward a harvest.
©2015 Jacqueline Jackson
This article appears in Dec 24-30, 2015.
