Harvest Song

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Harvest Song

Earthy fields recline in pumpkin orange rows,

Source of sacrifice to Halloween gods—

Dumb toothless grins, burning eyes, carrot nose

And pumpkin pies too for the Pilgrim gods.

Primeval specters crawl around old corn stalks

Picking the fittest and crushing the rest,

Spitting out dusty maize and chaff that mocks,

Devouring, after all, the least and best.

The grapes of wrath are ripe for the picking;

Raw sugar drips icy from harvest vines

And sweetness releases in the hard pressing

With results, in the end, finest of wines.

Not long till diamond snow shrouds used ground;

But there’ll be pie, popcorn and wine all around.

— deelilah, Oct 21, 2008

About This Poem

About the Author

Region, Country: Northwest USA, USA

Favorite Poets: E.E. Cummings, Robert W. Service, Emily Dickenson

Critiques

poewriter58

17 years 7 months ago

Deelilah

Very descriptive poem. Although I cannot feel that the ending fits with the rest of the poem. It seems to buoyant for the beautiful descriptions of a fall harvest. Chrys

deelilah

17 years 7 months ago

Thankyou Chrys

I've felt that way about the last line too. It's supposed to refer back to pumpkin pie for Pilgrim gods and corn and wine. Plus it's supposed to contrast the shrouded ground which represents the end of fall, and the end of life--and that the cycle will soon repeat itself. I don't think it worked to well either. Where was your picture taken? It looks like dunes on one of the great lakes. Yours, Donna

barbsdad2003

17 years 7 months ago

Although I've spent ...

the bulk of my life to this point living in cities, I hate them with a passion. Crowds repel me beyond reason. I so miss the rural of my early life. And of course the omnipresent mountains. My favorite parts of your piece? "Earthy fields recline ..." "Dumb toothless grins, burning eyes, carrot nose And pumpkin pies too for the Pilgrim gods" As to possible uneasiness, the shift from corn to grapes seems a tad abrupt. Needs something to make it less so, I think. Your title and language use I esp. like. Possible exception being "grapes of wrath." Haven't researched the term (and probably should), but my initial reaction is it seems somehow inapt here, in particular the "of wrath." Another thought springs to mind: The subject(s) I think might be better handled divided by two ... and then expanded upon. It's rich with possibilities for further enhancements. Both as to corn and as to grapes. Glad you're here. Welcome to neopoet. Yours, Chuck

deelilah

17 years 7 months ago

Hi Chuck

I had some trouble with this poem, and you've caught me. Grapes of wrath (by John Steinbeck) popped into my head in middle of night, so strong, I wrote it down in the dark--then tried to wrap a poem around it. I actually changed the phrase to grapes of fall which seemed insipid. It wasn't until I found the word shroud that the word wrath seemed to fit, but then I ran into the happy last line. Considering Chry's take on that, I think you're both right, it needs an overhaul. I appreciate your comments. Donna