Still, a solemn while, a bit of summer lingers,
and slowly morning fog is wrecked by sunshine
but birds have left and only crows are singers
at autumn equinox the darkness conquers
my heart is heavy, but a bit of summer lingers.
I turn my face towards the little light and lap
the scraps of brightness autumn brings me
Shadowed winter walks, wears a worsted mantel
closer, reaching for my heart with iceclad fingers
winter jack-o-lantern grinning, praising night
and hate today when still a bit of summer lingers.
Arshile Gorky
Today Melissa hosts at dVerse Poetics and we are writing about autumn with the optional possibility to write a poem in a form by Gillena called the fold defined as this:
1. 11 lines
2. The end phrase of Line 1 repeats at Lines 5 and 11
3. The rhyme of line 1 continues through in every other line
4. There MUST be a reference to nature and how it affects you, the poet”
September 19, 2023
Björn Rudbergs writings 
I sense the solemnity here. I really like the line “slowly morning fog is wrecked by sunshine”. Such imagery.
I’m curious as to what you see in the painting you’ve chosen. I see a dog. Do you see it?🐶
I see a lot of staring eyes 🙂
A lovely read on this cusp of a seasonal tussle – the meter makes it even more so
“I turn my face towards the little light and lap
the scraps of brightness”
My kind of still life, Björn. I particularly love ‘slowly morning fog is wrecked by sunshine’ and ‘lap the scraps of brightness autumn brings’.
I felt this deeply: my heart is heavy, but a bit of summer lingers. Also, when birds leave, its quiet in the garden. Love the fold form Bjorn, with summer lingering rhyme.
This is incredibly deep and evocative, Bjorn! I resonate with; “I turn my face towards the little light and lap the scraps of brightness autumn brings me.” 💙💙
Wow!!! Luv this Fold Björn. You folded Autumn well. Enjoyed the art by Arshile Gorky.
Much🖤love
I like how this poem does a tug of war between lingering summer and icy winter.
This is very well done, Bjorn. I really liked these lines:
I turn my face towards the little light and lap
the scraps of brightness autumn brings me
We share the same sentiments about autumn. It’s a fading of the year, leading into the dark.
A beautifully composed poem. I could feel the daylight getting shorter in this. An Autumn feeling throughout.
Beautifully done, Björn–wonderful rhyme and rhythm.
I love this early part of autumn when summer really is holding on–but I’m not a fan of the cold and dark.
You captured the emotions of witnessing summer’s demise in a dramatic way.
Summer’s departure well told
There is always the overlap of between…(K)
Those crows. Expertly done and now I am beginning to see and understand the form.
Nice ekphrastic take on the season, Björn, enigmatic and atmospheric, with encroaching darkness striking a dominant note. “A bit of summer lingers” brings nostalgia to the fore in a beautiful use of the “fold.”.
This is really gorgeous. It makes me want to attempt a fold poem of my own. Beautiful work!!!
The choice of the repeating phrase, which also sets the rhymes throughout, is what matters in this form and yours was a great choice…
A lovely fold poem, Bjorn. ‘Summer lingers’ is my wish for Bend Oregon.
Beautifully penned, Bjorn. 🙂