CMP Review 2023-11-17

November 17, 2023

Autumn Leaves
By Serafina P. Greco (2023)

I gaze down at my hands.
Labouring, but not overworked,
Holding, but not much weight,
Gripping loosely, as they fall to the ground.

I observe the girl on my right.
My sister’s arms are tired,
Her long hair falls down her back,
As does mine. Her face is full of misery.

Hard times have struck, it shows
On my face, on the face of my sister,
On the face of my brother as he is raking leaves,
Even on the face of my little sister
As she holds an apple from the bin, the last one.

My dress is elegant, even as we collect leaves.
The lace around the neck still neat.
The cuffs still crisp and new.
And the neatly collected waist still prim.

I wear a long, black dress
Because that is what I have.
Others wear spring colours, even though they mourn.

We are all mourning.

[Note: This ekphrastic poem was inspired by a print of Autumn Leaves by John Everett Millais. Serafina also read this poem at a student art and poetry event here on the Providence Manitoba campus. We hope it will be an encouragement to your family to try writing a poem on a work of art that you enjoy!]

@antonella.f.greco