It's just poetry, it won't bite

O, October what have you done?


10.16.09 Posted in audio, today's words by

Technology is an amazing thing. It allows us to be right there in the room when Kay Middleton reads her beautiful poetry. What? No, no. We’re not teleporting her to where you are. We’re doing something almost as fun. We’re introducing audio to vox poetica and to do that we have an audio clip of the lovely Kay Middleton reading this lovely and haunting poem. You will remember Kay’s poetry that you’ve read here (til death do us part, Moving in) and you’ve visited her Web site (now with audio!). Read this and listen to Kay read it and try to stop thinking about it after. It can’t be done. Special thanks to Mark Gooch for all of his assistance in making this experiment a success!
 

O, October what have you done?
By Kay Middleton

O, October what have you done?
taken away my mother then
lay silent and guiltless for three years
now unfolding your glorious colors
across the countryside
with air as crisp as apples
laced with the odor of first fires
lit to take the chill out of a morning

O, October what have you done?
phoning me on a morning filled with its own concerns
of newspapers, obituaries and reports
that sound very much the same as yesterday
a repetitive babble, murders, apartment fires,
politicians wearing scandal like red neckties
planning dinner no one will eat
writing grocery lists to be discarded
swept aside with junk mail and unfulfilled plans

O, October you steal silent
short days of skies busy with migrant birds
disguising your pain in brilliant color
weeping leaves as your life blood settles deep
falls deep and slow and sad
long nights with golden moons misty
edges, you have kept your promise of death

Oh, October what have you done?
buried my mother
and now my father
and left me orphan.

(click on player to listen)



3 Responses to “O, October what have you done?”

  1. Jeanette Gallagher says:

    I just listened to your beautiful voice reading your haunting words. Each word of grief touched my heart so tenderly, even moreso mixed among the mundane days. Grief well described. Thank you, Kay.

  2. Nan, I’ve just found this.
    You’ve done a magnificent job on your heartfelt poem. The audio really set it off.

  3. Stan says:

    This poem is a real treasure. The voice is tender, vulnerable, but real and unbroken in its questioning of October’s damage. While the subject is not delightful, the artistry shown here is. Thanks so much for posting this.

Latest Podcast Episode
0:00
0:00
vox poetica archives