Nov 7, 2014

POETRY FRIDAY: Leaves, by Elsie N. Brady

Thanks to Diane at Random Noodling for hosting Poetry Friday today!

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Last Friday I had the pleasure of talking with fifth graders about how much FUN reading and writing poetry can be! Since it was Halloween, I read and discussed several poems from one of my favorite poetry collections, Jennifer Cole Judd's and Laura Wynkoop's An Eyeball in My Garden, and then the kids wrote their own spooky poems. I had a blast, and I’m pretty sure the kids did, too! ☺

This week, as November has blown in, I have been caught up in several beautiful leaf showers. On my walks through the woods, red, yellow, and orange leaves have fluttered and swirled around me. And today as I sit and write, I see gold whirling right outside my windows.
Inspired by nature’s annual display of colors, I set out to find a “new to me” poem about leaves to share for Poetry Friday this week. I'm so glad I did, because I found this wonderful piece by Scottish poet Elsie N. Brady:

Leaves
by Elsie N. Brady
 
How silently they tumble down
And come to rest upon the ground
To lay a carpet, rich and rare,
Beneath the trees without a care,
Content to sleep, their work well done,
Colors gleaming in the sun.

At other times, they wildly fly
Until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air
Till all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
To wait, like children, for the snow.


I love the way Brady’s poem captures the movement of falling leaves and the mood of autumn. It is especially fitting for cool, blustery days like today!

Enjoy the last few weeks of fall, and happy writing!

15 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing this beautiful poem. I especially love the idea that the leaves "lay a carpet, rich and rare." Almost all the leaves have fallen here now, but the ground is so colourful!

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    1. It does seem that in every moment of every season there is something beautiful. I love that about nature!

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  2. I like those last two lines in particular! The trees have put on a beautiful show here this fall. I am trying to make a point of enjoying it every day.

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  3. Linda Baie also shared this poem today at http://www.teacherdance.org/2014/11/its-random-noodlings-poetry-friday.html . I love it!

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    1. Me too! I couldn't find much information about this poet, but found references to the poem all over. It is so beautiful!

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  4. Waiting for snow...what a lovely ending to the poem you shared. Thanks for also sharing your experiences encouraging children to read and write poetry. Your efforts will warm more than one heart.

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  5. What a great poem! I love your word leaf showers. My daughter and I call them leaf falls.
    Fluttered, whirled, and swirling - I love these words you use to describe the leaves.

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  6. How fun to see this poem again, through the lens of YOUR post!!

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  7. How funny to have never known about this poem and then get a double dose of it this weekend! I'm not complaining, mind you-- it's a beauty! I sigh each time I read those last two lines.

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  8. You and Linda were on the same wavelength! It's a lovely, lyrical poem.

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  9. Thanks for sharing this wonderful poem:) what a great thing to help children to write poems:)

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  10. I am so sorry--I got behind in my replies this week, but I appreciate every single one! Thank you all so much for stopping by!

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Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

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