~
saffron-silkened leaves swirl and dance,
vein-covered maps of months cascading,
a funeral procession of variegation,
gently pirouetting on long exhale;
their descents trace lacy lines on reddened cheeks,
at last dipping and gliding to final rest
coating my feet
covering my heart
clearing my mind
*
crisp autumnal hues subtly transform each
molecule to pristine hiemal white,
my lungs fill deep with promise of glacial respite
burning in pleasure with fresh-scented wonder,
the taste of evergreen thick on my tongue;
ribbons of silvery air swathe each tree and stag,
each sleepy wink of ursa major til
the air hums with anticipation
greedy
giddy
pining for
a blank slate hovering on periphery,
teasing at hints of gilded gray and
peppermint frost on upturned nose,
dusting my blue-veined fingertips
in icy transmutation
*
i long for that deep settling,
both coveting the newness of velvety stem
and viridescent vow,
yet content to abide in slumbered silence
as summer's royal finery is laid to rest
*
{Welcome capricorn moon}
the skies are yours to brush in bruised plums,
in dusky midnight blues,
the afterglow of amber and
sugared musk fad i n g
giving way to your twilit playground;
prepare us for vernal awakening,
plant your roots deep, fortify this
earthly temple, ease the toll of
seasons past,
and may the wilds of solstice sun and stars
be tempered,
our journey stayed by winter's steady hand
as the grueling task of rebirth
begs for balance;
be still and wait.
About the Creator
Heather Hubler
Thank you to everyone who filled this journey with wonderful memories :)
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Comments (45)
Shockingly overdue. Congrats Heather.
gorgeous wandering. so well deserved. congratulations!
Oh my god this is so good. I’ve missed your poetry so much. Congratulations on a well deserved win, Heather
Congratulations on your win! A gorgeous poem… my favourite lines are: “ vein-covered maps of months cascading, a funeral procession of variegation, gently pirouetting on long exhale;”💖
Okay, this is really something else, Heather. "i long for that deep settling, both coveting the newness of velvety stem and viridescent vow" That alliteration! I LOVE what you did here. I think my favorite part, though, is in the next section, which oozes with such a vivid scene of coming winter night skies. I absolutely adore your diction here, and throughout this stunning piece. "{Welcome capricorn moon} the skies are yours to brush in bruised plums, in dusky midnight blues, the afterglow of amber and sugared musk fad i n g" I can see why this won; a truly stunning entry. I am so happy to see your name on this list, Heather! Well done and congratulations on your win! 👏🏻🎉🍾
Way to go on the well-deserved win. This is a winding, lush poem filled with rich imagery and well placed line breaks, spacing, and italics. I really like the last line - which rings out like a charge to all of us. Excellent work.
Wow! I am so happy for you but even happier you were inspired to enter the challenge. And it paid off! Super-duper congrats, Heather!
Congratulations for your hard work in crafting this piece and your challenge win! Yay you🎉🎊🎉
Incredible. The alliteration, the callback to the title, the title itself, and everything else. The line "my lungs fill deep with promise of glacial respite" might have won you the whole thing alone. A thousand congratulations on your first win (took them damn long enough), and I hope any imposter syndrome is well-tempered by knowing I view this as worthy winner indeed 😁
And another lap to say Congrats on winning the First Frost challenge, Heather!!
Outstanding work, Heather. You made winter's approach magickal and awe-inspiring. Many congratulations on your win and top story❣✨💖
So grateful for the challenge that led me to your profile! Such resonate rhythm, I love the usage of the term ʻpirouetteʻ and ʻglacial respiteʻ...truly this turnover from autumn to winter is one of my soulʻs favorites! Congratulations on the win
Wooohooooo congratulations on your win! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Congrats! This is amazing.
That’s my best friend— you deserve it!!!
Congratulations on the win, Lil Sis! You deserve it!
Yay JUSTICE FOR HUBLER! Congrats on your win. So pleased for you.
A beautiful description of the season, Heather. Really well done, and a well-deserved TS!!
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Another lap around to say congrats on placing fourth this week, Heather!!
Happy 2 see ya back! You expertly tap danced on this challenge with a blend of major talent, elegance and grace! Get it HH! Phenomenal writing as usual! 🫶🏾💕
Welcome back, hope all is well with you. Congratulations , you certainly have not lost your touch. This is an absolute brilliant ‘feeling’ poem
I do not feel positive about winter. But this helps.
Nice
The poem captures the delicate tension between letting go and anticipating renewal. I love how each season’s qualities are personified, turning nature into both a teacher and companion.