Autumn Leaves

Leaf 221 – Reflections

 

Fukuda Heihachiro - Autumn Leaves (1943)

Autumn seems to be a season with its own animus/anima.

 

 

Leaves following

the autumn breeze

– but only so far.

***

The autumn-themed ‘renku’/‘renga’ (or linked verse collaboration) below was written with ‪fellow poet, Rachel Armes-McLaughlin, reflecting upon a photograph she took while on a recent autumnal walk:

the cold, keen wind 

cannot keep the leaves

it dispenses 

just as it cannot

keep this dark season 

savouring autumn’s chill

sunlight glints off 

bright polished shoes – 

auburn leaves underfoot

‪Autumn Light & Leaves, by Rachel Armes-McLaughlin

 

***

 

This final autumn leaves themed haiku is perhaps one of my most Issa-esque ...

Raking leaves – 

the wind wants 

to play too.

The first poem was originally written and posted on Bluesky in response to a #dailyhaikuprompt: 'breeze.' And the second, written with Rachel Armes-McLaughlin, was also originally posted on Bluesky. Many thanks to Rachel for very kindly permitting me to reproduce her work here. The third and final haiku was likewise also originally written and posted on Bluesky in response to a #dailyhaikuprompt: 'rake.'