The leaves change, the days shorten, a chill blows through the air: Autumn announces its presence.
This time of year is a Season of Change, both for the Earth and for the Soul. We prepare for winter while reflecting on the bright colors of Spring Flowers and the vibrant heat of Summer Sun. As the weather cools and green leaves turn into a cornucopia of colors, we take a deep breath of Autumn air and meditate on the changes from this past year.
In tune with the Earth, the Maryknoll Sisters love to reflect through art and poetry. Sister Joan Metzner, MM and Sister Ann Hayden, MM have particularly poignant words of wisdom to share regarding Autumn, the Season of Change. Let us enjoy their poems and artwork, while sipping some hot apple cider and reflecting on life.
Autumn
Season of all seasons blest
with pudgy pumpkins
zesty cider
an avalanche of apples
McIntosh, Empire, Cortland…
Season of white seedless grapes
spirited squirrels squeezing through
a bird feeder
multi-hued chrysanthemums
on the porch steps.
Season of all seasons splashed
with riotous color shivering leaves
red, russet, yellow
and happy combinations of which
Van Gogh never dreamt.
Season of plaid skirts and shirts
warm knit sweaters
and wine slacks.
Seasons of all seasons favored
with pristine blue sky
bracing air
lordly sun
and a world of sparkling images
of the Holy One.
~ By Sr. Joan Metzner, MM
Invitation
Come, walk the wooded way with me;
There’s Autumn in the air.
Yellow, burgundy, orange, green,
Mingling everywhere.
The path is covered with dying leaves,
Crackling as I stroll.
While others come dancing down on my head
With a little rock and a roll.
Clouds in the sky float comfortably by
As shadow and light are playing.
Little birds flit about; they can’t help but
sing out.
– I just wonder what they are saying!
It’s a joy to journey in the woods alone,
to mimic the deer as I wend.
But it’s even a greater joy to me
To journey with you, my friend.
~ By Sr. Joan Metzner, Seasons of Life
Awareness
Incensed Autumn air,
skies of unspeckled blue.
Loosening leaves,
crackling leaves,
burning leaves.
Too much fragrance to imbide.
Too much life to Handle.
Awesome awareness
I AM ALIVE
Mind blowing, heart knowing
I AM ALIVE
Incensed Autumn Air.
~ By Sr. Joan Metzner, Seasons of Life
Autumn
The wind reigns in autumn.
The wind sighs and life rustles and rattles,
forgetting green in the red/gold flames lit by the
wind.
Wind-sigh turns to tight laughter
that rushes among brown brush and harvest
stubble setting them a-cackle in its echo.
Wind-laugh turns to harsh howl that tears through
naked branches and homeless leaves
leaving them trembling in its wake.
Wind-howl turns to bitter screech that rakes
the earth
stripping it of spongy warmth and pliant color
until wind holds earth, brittle-fragile, in its grasp.
The wind reigns in autumn.
But autumn’s ruler is winter’s servant as
wind flames read/gold to cold
boldly burning a way for barren beauty.
~ By Sr. Ann Hayden, MM
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Pie is a sweet old thing
Special love to us all he will bring
He’s Orange and white, as cute as can be
He’s a little scared now and wants to be free
He’s gentle and quiet yet knows how to hiss
He meows real loud when disturbed from his bliss
He is pretty and proud and to us never defers
The sun in the window is what he prefers
His home is P.T. for food and for sleep
When he feels safer into our hearts he will creep
So do come and visit our sweet Pumpkin Pie
Stay for a bit to pet with love, then say bye-bye
If you see him wandering, no need to give chase
He is finding his way around into our good grace.
Help him feel at home with gentleness and soft words
If we love him he’ll love us and stay away from the birds
Pumpkin Pie is our mouser and feline champion
But more than that he’s our new friend and companion
~ By Sr. Ann Hayden, At the Center of My Heart
Seasons Change
Spring surrenders life without a struggle
To long day’s hot, burning sun
Green Grass turns dark stubble by nightfall
Harvest gold crumbles to dust by summer’s mourn
Sad it is to watch the approach of death
irritating, petty, and inexplicably disgusting
are the taste, signs, and feel of summer
Wind, whining, and incessant, sucks away
all of winter’s gifts until
branches are brittle and crackle scratch,
skin dries and tightens to the bone,
the earth cracks open and cries tearless,
silent,
dust blots away dew filling eyes with
grit, not tears, at her passing
Dirt darkens the air and the secret corner of the
mind
invades hairs, teeth, and thoughts
settles into cracked moods
settles on still water like scum
Water, life-juice banned by summer,
lies scarce, smelly
Each year winter’s gifts are shorter-lived and
dry summer’s scars linger longer on the earth
trees are fewer
harvests smaller
rivers drier
When autumn clouds form thick
and weigh heavy upon us again
we dream of long winter rains with
full rivers, abundant harvests
Is hope in humind autumn’s sure victory over
summer’s dry death enough?
Is hope in the inevitable blessing of seasonal
changes enough?
Are our dreams of abundance enough?
What does summer’s reality teach?
What must we do?
What promise must we keep?
~ Sr. Ann Hayden, The Unpolished Mirrors of My Soul
