October’s Child

Born in the breath of woodsmoke and fire,
I learned early to love the art of falling.
Leaves tumble like poorly kept secrets,
trees strip down without shame -
modesty’s for summer, after all.

October hums with rebellion:
bonfires blaze, sunsets bleed,
and the wind, cheeky as ever,
slips its cold fingers into every undone button.
History rattles here -
200 years since Waterloo fell quiet,
suffragette echoes stomping in boots,
a reminder that not all noise is noise.

It’s a trickster wrapped in amber light,
half beauty, half bite,
where endings feel like beginnings
and ghosts pretend they’re just passing through.
They whisper, “You’re braver than the fall.”

And with each year, I’ve learned to ask,
Will I rise, no matter how hard I fall?
Can I burn and still remain whole?
These are the quiet prayers I carry -
for strength to keep standing when the world turns cold,
for light in the darkest corners,
and for the courage to blaze,
unashamed of the fire I carry.

Stitched from October’s fabric a
half twilight, half ember -
I walk between the brittle and the burning,
the quiet and the wild,
a child of autumn,
still falling,
still smugly aflame.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2024

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Canerdy Avatar
January 6, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Lauren, through a brilliant blend of personification, metaphors, and similes, you have captured the very essence of October. CONGRATS on your well-deserved win. Janice
Tilley Avatar
January 11, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Thank you so very much!!!!!
Ashley Avatar
January 5, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Dear Lauren, I'm enthralled by your brilliant, thoughtful, thought-provoking use of imagery and metaphor! A profound poetic expression that mesmerized me from the first verse "Born in the breath of woodsmoke and fire" and didn't let go till long after the last verse as it lingered in my mind like the warm woodsy scent of burning leaves on a crisp October day. A fav! Congratulations for your success in Gina's contest. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan
Mcintosh Avatar
January 5, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Exceptional poetry. Congrats on your top win. God bless you with love, Gina
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