Today’s Poem of the Day was composed by a group of elderly people in a Victorian nursing home under the leadership of Robyn Youll who presents poetry readings and workshops to them weekly. The poem was inspired by ‘Leaves’, a recent Poem of the Day.
Leaves
In Autumn
English Invaders
shed
Crackling – underfoot,
Gutter – clogging,
Wind – dancing,
Leaves
Australian Eucalypts
stubbornly
cling to
hard leaves
shiny leaves
fire-loving leaves
harsh climate leaves.
Evergreen Eucalypts
shed
bark instead
English Leaves
paint
Autumn
Bronze
Scarlet
Yellow
Gold
Then
English Leaves
Paint
Spring
Green
Again
In
Summer
Eucalyptus Leaves
Bushfire scarlet.
Providence U3A: 26th May: Prudence Marsh. (Prudence Marsh in the nom-de-plume for Group Poetry)
Prompt: Di Bates Poem: Leaves.
Present: Ted, Verna, Lucy, Margaret W.,M.[briefly] Joyce,Dorothy, Sirkka, Pat, Betty R.,F., Melvie.
Wonderful to read, and wonderful that one poem triggered another! Love it.
An excellent poem and it’s great to see our senior citizens working together so creatively, and so well. Rarely has grey matter been put to such good use.
What a great enterprise by Robyn Youll, and what a lovely poem has resulted. Congratulations all!
I’ve come over all warm and fuzzy!See what you’ve started Di.Just shows what poetry can do.Laurels all round.Big hug.Anne
Thank you Di – the ladies will be so thrilled tomorrow. I’m going to back to back & laminate a copy for each one of them. To each it will represent a pinnacle in a life they assumed was over. It is their beginning as poets – not the end as old and unable. Have 6 Acrostic Birthday poems for June – Nursing Home Tradition – a framed or laminated Acrostic Poem to celebrate a resident’s birthday – two book reviews due June 15 for Faithfully Yours – the Monthly Mag of Geelong Obedience Dog Club [I’m Librarian] – but Poetry & Senile Dementia has been started. – don’t worry. Yesterday – two funerals – Ray & Alma + Spine C.T.. Ray’s family produced a commemorative bookmark with Ray’s Poem Ha’Penny on the back! A sense of closure! Thank you for your support. Kind Regards Robyn