Enga mellom fjella

1951 Autumn Leaves

Autumn Leaves
Edith Piaf (1951)
Association: grade school and relationships

I grew up hearing and learning French. I sang children's songs like
"Sur le pont d'Avignon" in French; we all did. I took French until I graduated
from high school. And Autumn meant school days and October meant falling
leaves. Even now, a certain bittersweetness pervades many of my writings.
Leave-taking is oft bittersweet.

I love Édith Piaf's (The Little Sparrow) version because of the way
her voice quavers (just like leaves) in both English and French.

red maples flutter at gold elms,
then take their leave to cover lawns,
parched and withered, waiting for snow

         (24 syllables: 8/8/8)

An autumn blog entry I wrote in 2006: "Autumn Leaves. A limerick." 

Autumn cottonwood

She hugs the tree
that forever leans towards the dawn:
deep ridged, lichen crusted,
grey and gold.
It holds
fast to the ground;
it's proud crown quivers.
And we both know:
it will still stand there
when she's gone. [163.408a]

And this from earlier: "A little story of Autumn. Than Bauk?" 

October leaves

This is the time the Great Painter looks at His palette and paints
the hills of Western New York. It starts in the uplands of Allegany
and Cattaraugus Counties and the Northern tier of Pennsylvania.
Yellows and reds creep north and south and finish along the shores of
Lakes Erie and Ontario sometime in November. I've even seen a pink rose
bloom on December 1st, my friend Kevin's birthday.

First, the locust loses its gold raiment. The maples turn yellow, orange
or scarlet. Golden brown vases of elms line the boulevards and avenues
of old victorian houses. The oaks wear red-brown and hold on to their tatters,
while chrysanthemums gather leaf litter and huddle.

Each autumn the same dice are thrown. Which will come first:
the frost or the snow. Both come by Thanksgiving, rarely October.
The Snow Queen delivers a flurry that delights every child and puts fear
in the hearts of car-drivers (few remember how to drive after
the piña coladas of summer). The trees wear their new cloaks of white;
each twig glistens with icicles. (Jack Frost takes the credit.)
The old leaves glint in the gutter.

This is the usual order of things.

But Jack, the Queen and the Painter went on vacation. Westwind took over.
And boy did he blow! Had quite a big party. I heard on the newscasts.
Did you? By the time he was done, the leaves and the branches,
the ice and the snow lay all mixed with down poles and dead wires.
And this is no story; on Friday it really transpired!

In response to Joy I wrote: "Windmills of the mind... [136]" 

It's for myself I weep

         for Kevin

When I knew that it was over
was I suddenly aware
that the autumn leaves were fading
like the color of your hair?

Did I realize that nightmares
would replace my fondest dreams?
Was it all just some illusion
in the shadow of moonbeams?

And now that I've awakened
after years of restless sleep,
in the quiet of the morning
is it for myself I weep?

And does it really matter
you were once my closest friend,
that once you pledged your love to me?
For that shall never end!

Though memories have faded
and now darkness snuffs the light,
in the heart of who I've since become
you shine there young and bright

© Kåre Enga (7.juli.2019) [176.136]



Lyrics I embellished in a blog entry long ago:

            

  The falling leaves          

  Drift by the window                

The autumn leaves              

   All red and gold              

                 I see your lips        

 The summer kisses   

The sunburned hands                    

         I used to hold.             

        

                                                

      Since you went away   

      The days grow long...    

    And soon I'll hear                 

 Old winter songs          

         But I miss you most of all    My darling,

when autumn leaves start to fall...        

                                     

                                                 

  C'est un chanson                                

               Qui nous ressemble                        

                       Toi qui m'aimais  

Et je t'aimais                                              

                Nous vivions tous les deux ensemble         

   Tou qui m'aimais                  

                                   Moi qui t'aimais                

                                            

                              Mais la vie s'pare                   

Ceux qui s'aiment                                                             

     Tout doucement                          

                                     Sans faire de bruit                       

                    Et la mer efface sur le sable                         

   Les pas des amants d'sunis.                                          

                                                              

     Since you went away                                           

The days grow long...                                                            

                      And soon I'll hear                                               

      Old winter songs                                                   

                But I miss you most of all                                     

     My darling,                                                             

 when  autumn     leaves       start      to   fall...                       

                                                                                            

In:

FOLDER

Monkeying around in September  (13+) Music! Jeff provides the prompts. I just respond. (1946-1955) #2231240 by Kåre Enga in Udon Thani

For:

FORUM

Barrel of Monkeys  (E) An annual interlinked musical blogging challenge! Starts every September 1st. #1987725 by Jaeff | KBtW of the Free Folk