Monday is Quadrille Monday. What is a Quadrille? It is a poetic form unique to dVerse – exactly 44 words in length excluding the title and must include the prompted word. The prompted word for this Q44 is “crunch” or variant of the word: crunched, crunches, crunching. crunchy, crunchify – or whatever you make up with crunch! Come join us as we crunch and munch poems! This is also posted on Poets United Poetry Pantry.
public domain image
dead leaves blowing like snow
dead leaves blowing like snow –
walking amongst them,
crunching underfoot,
like snow –
winter is almost here –
heavy frost on the grass –
full moon holding back the stars –
a fox steps cautiously –
an owl glides silently
stars are still –
*Yuki no yō ni fuite ha
* dead leaves blowing like snow
Dec 02, 2017 @ 16:18:22
Even though I don’t speak Japanese, the last line was beautiful just as sound…
Dec 02, 2017 @ 16:51:36
Thank you. I loved the sound of it – I am glad you did as well.
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Dec 03, 2017 @ 14:40:13
I love the Japanese words and forms that flow through your poetry – so magical and mysterious. This is gorgeous, Toni.
Dec 03, 2017 @ 18:16:41
Thank you sherry. This has been tumbling around in my head for two weeks!
Dec 03, 2017 @ 15:05:21
Oh, so true….the leaves DO blow like snow. An omen of things to come, at least in these parts. So far we have been spared.
Dec 03, 2017 @ 18:16:05
I think the east is supposed to be warmer and drier and the north supposed to be wetter and colder. Sorry! El Nino hits.
Dec 03, 2017 @ 15:18:07
I absolutely adore the imagery of this poem…..and especially ‘full moon holding back the stars’….I hope to watch it tonight!
Dec 03, 2017 @ 18:15:22
As do I. the last supermoon of 2017
Dec 03, 2017 @ 15:55:49
I love the image of the full moon holding back the stars 💕 Gorgeous writing here, Toni 🙂
Dec 03, 2017 @ 17:28:14
Sweet!
Dec 03, 2017 @ 18:30:32
What a beautiful write. I, too, liked the sound of that last line!
Dec 03, 2017 @ 21:09:04
So gorgeous, dreamy. I love this line: full moon holding back the stars –
We raked most of them last week and this morning snow covered them–the moon woke me up at 4 40…got a head start, I love that time of day.
Dec 04, 2017 @ 14:42:15
I do too. I often don’t get into bed until 2 ish. And up at 6. On full moon nights, I barely sleep. I’m outside watching the critters, walking around. We never take our leaves. We know they will have blown away by Christmas. Lazy folk we are!
Dec 04, 2017 @ 02:51:03
kaykuala
full moon holding back the stars
When things appear to court danger, all are expected to play their part – including the moon. Clever take Toni!
Hank
Dec 04, 2017 @ 03:25:49
I saw the moon yesterday evening, and it still hung like a giant balloon when we bicycled to work…
I could easily imagine a fox there…. love the poetry
Dec 04, 2017 @ 15:05:42
This is so incredibly gorgeous. I LOVE “full moon holding back the stars” especially.
Dec 04, 2017 @ 15:07:20
Thank you De. I wrote this after leaving my husband at the hospital and sitting on my back steps watching the moon and critters. I love winter nights.
Dec 04, 2017 @ 15:09:05
I reached for my coat while reading this!
Dec 04, 2017 @ 15:09:47
I am usually wrapped in a quilt sitting on the back porch. I love winter nights.
Dec 04, 2017 @ 15:22:54
I agree. They’re sublime.
Dec 04, 2017 @ 15:25:01
🙂
Dec 04, 2017 @ 15:17:40
The repetition is effective, especially the final line in Japanese, which I tried to read aloud – it has a snowy feel in my mouth – like I’m puffing cold air! I also like that you bring in the fox and the owl late in the poem – a surprise.
Dec 04, 2017 @ 15:19:46
They rather surpised me too! I haven’t seen foxes around here for several years. Well hidden I imagine. Japanese always to me has a snow, or rainy, or blossom feel when spoken. but then I suppose that is memories of visits there! It always seemed to be raining or something blooming.
Dec 04, 2017 @ 15:20:20
🙂
Dec 04, 2017 @ 15:33:18
Marvellous melding on the seasonal borders in your poem. The fox adds extra dimension to the leaf colours – as well as the snow since some turn white with the winter. And in Japan the fox has a supernatural significance (I love Kurosowa’s The Foxes wedding in his film Dreams)
Dec 04, 2017 @ 15:48:29
Lovely! i recognize that scene.
Dec 04, 2017 @ 16:34:43
A beautiful write Toni and I especially love ‘winter is almost here –
heavy frost on the grass –
full moon holding back the stars’ – xxx
Dec 04, 2017 @ 17:29:22
Thank you Xenia! Hugs.
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Dec 04, 2017 @ 17:38:06
Hugs to you too from all of us here :o) xxx
Dec 04, 2017 @ 17:02:02
What a lovely piece, very peaceful. I like your snow too…
Dec 04, 2017 @ 17:28:38
They have a place on WP where you can start it up and it goes until after New Year’s. I am always sad when it stops!
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Dec 04, 2017 @ 17:17:07
One advantage to not raking your leaves is that they may provide mulch for the soil. To bed at 2, up at 6–gosh–hopefully you take naps to catch up. No on seems to capture the Japanese spirit like you do, We all appreciate the education.
Dec 04, 2017 @ 17:27:53
Thank you Glenn. I am the napless wonder!
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Dec 04, 2017 @ 17:40:00
Nice comparison of leaves to snow. They both can make a crunching sound.
Dec 04, 2017 @ 20:37:25
I love that dead leaves blowing like snow and that full moon holding back the stars ~ Alas the day and the night lately here have been cloudy and misty ~
Dec 04, 2017 @ 20:41:09
‘stars are still’ – what a picture that creates!
Dec 04, 2017 @ 22:42:37
evocative imagery, and a wonderous sense of place and time. Beautiful, Toni!
Dec 05, 2017 @ 01:19:41
Lovely piece of writing Toni! Dead leaves like snow….what a great reference!
Dec 05, 2017 @ 01:45:21
WI love the images that seem to pass through this poem, like creatures in the night.
Dec 05, 2017 @ 05:30:47
Love this…dead leaves blowing like snow brings the natural progression together as it is felt
Dec 05, 2017 @ 07:00:05
That last phrase is exquisite.
Dec 05, 2017 @ 07:52:08
Beautiful, this transitional pause between seasons
Dec 05, 2017 @ 16:10:15
In the almost 30 years I’ve lived in Oregon, this is the first time I experienced blowing, crunching leaves in the fall. Typically, our fall is wet and the leaves are drenched before they leave the tree, then lie on the ground in wet, messy clumps. I could like fall if it was always as you’ve described in this lovely poem.