This Morning's Gift

The autumn chill intensifies.

I see the fragile veil of white

Scintillating, as the sunrise

Dispels the ebon shade of night.

Winter comes soon, on its white wings

To bring sweet sleep to growing things.

~

I see the fragile veil of white,

The breath of Gaia, captive, there

On all it brushed throughout the night,

Glistening in the frigid air.

Beauty that belies the warning

Of the frost on this cold morning

~

The breath of Gaia, captive there,

Ephemeral and elegant,

Has nonetheless come to declare

The season's patience waxes scant.

Soon, the autumn's soft, peaceful hush

Will surrender to winter's rush.

~

Ephemeral and elegant

And soon, naught but a memory,

As all the wonders nature can't

Keep held in check for you and me.

All the more precious is this gift,

For with the sun, it's passing's swift.

~

And soon, naught but a memory,

This morning's gift to grateful eyes,

Will stir a tired heart, faithfully

When December clouds future skies.

Winter's chill won't dim its luster,

Though it bellow, blow and bluster.

~

This morning's gift to grateful eyes

Was wondrous and enlightening

And having seen, I realize

Life is a rare and wondrous thing

And like the sparkling frost at dawn,

It should be savored, ere it's gone.

***

Author's Note: I wanted to try a new form, and I came up with an interesting one. Credited to the late poet, John Ciardi (1916 - 1986) it's a 36-line poem, written in six, 6-line stanzas, with a rhyming scheme of ababcc, and an interesting twist:

The second line of each stanza becomes the first line of the following stanza.

Apparently, punctuation is optional.

I found it fairly challenging and a fun exercise.

Here's a resource if you'd like to try it:

Thanks for reading!

~Doc