Notes About The Poem

7/24/2025, Three Options in 1 Contest, Constance La France

Sometimes, you leave and go back to your childhood home. It is like returning to Kansas from Oz. I never realized how beautiful it is, where I grew up. Both, "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle" were written by Washington Irving. He wrote of the Catskills (-kills refers to water, like other places Peekskill and Kaaterskill). Rip Van Winkle fell asleep for 20 years and in the Sleepy Hollow story, there is a headless horseman lobbing off heads. Irving was a great storyteller.

Idyllic

Idyllic

Hudson Valley, New York …Lord of Rings’ shire.
A vineyard, filled with rich and famous names.

I’m pleased to be impressed by the artists,
as they surrender idyllic charm with paint.

Emerald green; delicious apple bites,
wind chimes through the pines, mountains of Catskill.

The headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow -
to drink, deep, the forests of Van Winkle.

Freedom fostered in cobblestone and -kills.
Small town parades, fireworks at Vanderbilt’s.

homefree verse

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Linda Alice Fowler

August 1, 2025 at 4:06 PM

Fabulous Kim. Sounds lovely. Congratulations! :)

Constance La France

August 1, 2025 at 7:22 AM

Kim, congratulations on your win in my Three Options in I contest, and info, and your words are well done, blessings ~

Kim Rodrigues

August 1, 2025 at 11:46 AM

Thank you, Constance, and for inspiring us with your contests!

Paige Hind

July 29, 2025 at 8:41 PM

Woah, awesome!!! Love this. It's so great to read you again! :) <3

Kim Rodrigues

July 30, 2025 at 8:49 AM

And I appreciate you so!

Valsa George

July 28, 2025 at 8:12 PM

Back to your lovely poem with Congratulations on your great win, Kim.

Kim Rodrigues

July 28, 2025 at 9:28 PM

Thank you so much, Valsa!

Abdullah Alhemaidy

July 28, 2025 at 1:00 PM

Congratulations on your win dear lovely Kim :-)

Kim Rodrigues

July 28, 2025 at 5:16 PM

Thank you, dear friend!

Paula Goldsmith

July 28, 2025 at 11:41 AM

Congratulations on your win. I enjoyed reading your wonderful write/story. Great notes... Have a blessed day with your win.........

Kim Rodrigues

July 28, 2025 at 5:16 PM

Thank you, dear one!

Malabika Ray Choudhury

July 26, 2025 at 3:10 PM

Dear Kim, you penned a gorgeous poem with memories of your childhood home. Very interestingly I picked the same topic and wrote about the country I was born.

Kim Rodrigues

July 26, 2025 at 3:23 PM

Awesome! Thank you!

Valsa George

July 25, 2025 at 11:09 PM

Beautiful poetry! Enjoyed the idyllic beauty of the Hudson valley and the paintings of artists in that area.

Kim Rodrigues

July 26, 2025 at 6:15 AM

Thank you, Valsa!

David Crandall

July 25, 2025 at 11:40 AM

I really enjoyed this. I've never been there, but Washington Irving's stories captured my imagination, and charmed me. A few months ago I checked out a book of his short stories, and left it on top of my car, and lost it, and paid the library $17 (TMI), but anyway, very nice - loved your depiction. Maybe I live there in another life.

Kim Rodrigues

July 25, 2025 at 12:42 PM

Wow, that’s crazy, David! I used to work at the library as a part time tech. After retiring, I accidentally pushed a book toward a wet tea bag. They were kind enough just to charge me for restocking. I am always so careful! Thank you! Perhaps you will try again…lol

Victor Buhagiar

July 25, 2025 at 5:30 AM

I have written a poem on the subject but not yet posted it. Ten lines seem so short. Yet you wrote a pleasant entry for the contest. Wishing you the best of luck. Hugs.

Kim Rodrigues

July 25, 2025 at 7:14 AM

Looking forward to reading it!