Another Poetic Asides “location” poem, but my blog is able to handle the Spanish, so here it be!!
SAN JUAN AUTUMN
Autumn in tropical climes
held no charm for me…
only a reminder that, once again,
I’d missed the falling leaves of October.
My little girl had not yet seen
the glory of leaves
tangerine, blood orange, marmalade,
Nature’s display, a free buffet
One call to my sister and a week later
the magical package arrived.
“¿Qué tal, Mama?” cried Laurita,
my little Irish Jewish Puertoriqueña.
“¡Mira!”
Overturning the box,
waxed leaves spilled onto the tabletop.
“¡Amarillo, rojo, todas las colores!” squeaked Laura.
We taped them to the white plaster walls
as though they were falling from a tree in heaven.
Random patterns of second-hand Autumn.
My child’s first dance with the leaves,
we filled the house and neighbors came
to marvel at our living fresco.
© 2010 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
Sharp Little Pencil 
Mary
Very poignant poem, Amy. I can just see those waxed leaves on the walls and the joy in your and your daughter’s eyes! October is great, but it leads to winter. Sigh. Not so great.
Thanks for the shout out in Poetic Asides. I truly wish that Robert would do it as links, as it is cumbersome to come back and look through all the poems / posts. I’m blogging all of mine – for better or for worse. LOL.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Mary. Yes, the earth is being put to bed for the winter. And here, it’s a long one… but remembering Laura/Riley’s face when those leaves came out of the box is heaven!
You deserve all shout-outs. I know it’s a lot of scrolling, but Robert wants the poems to all be read, I think, not just having us skip to our faves. And it also gives folks who don’t have a blog a chance to post theirs. I’ve gotten two people so far to actually start blogs of their own! But in the meantime, there are many tentative beginners who are feeling their oats at PA, so I stick with the prompts there. But I do SO enjoy visiting other links, even with Mr. Linky, whose name makes me smile every time.
Did you know, I got Blog of the Week at Poets United. Sorry to brag, and sure you’ve been honored thus before, but I was floored!! Amy
Diane T
Ya know, maybe you dated him in the 80’s, LOL. A mysterious San Juan poem. I can understand why fall means nothing to you, especially with those waxy leaves!
Sharp Little Pencil
FUnny, it’s actually my favorite season. I tell people I moved from Puerto Rico to upstate New York for the weather.
Hey, it’s just another opportunity for them to look at my like I’m a little nutty. Which I am!
pamela
Amy,
My parents used to vacation in Puerto Rico when I was young.
I also miss the change of season here in Mexico.
I love this poem.
Pamela
Sharp Little Pencil
Muchas gracias, Pamelita, mi amiga. I wrote that with you in mind as well, after we had spoken about your relocation to Mexico. So see how inspiring you are?
Paz, Amelita
sheila h
this is so alive not only with color but so dense with love,devotion and magic..the magic a mother performs for a child out of love ….
we did a similar ‘feat’ with shellacked autumn leaves then sent them off to family living in season free LA..well ithe have seasons but hardly perceptible to someone raised in the East..
i admire your bilingual talent,too..
(actually ,jealous..lol)
Sharp Little Pencil
Never be jealous, chum. I’ll bet you know lots of stuff I don’t. We’ll compare on the phone sometime, LOL!
And yes, the things moms do for their little ones… and how Aunt Jo pitched in was particularly impressive. She’s the one with the hands-on artistic talent, artwork and all. Beth is a master quilter, like from scratch, every stitch hand-sewn. Both take a steady hand and a sticktoitiveness that I lack. Poetry, badda-bing, badda-boom, slam bam thanky Ma’am!!
Glad you were able to do the same for someone deprived of Autumn as well. Thx again! Amy