Gold leaf ornaments adorning a buffet cabinet key are from the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
The One Deep Breath prompt is to write a poem in any form about "delicious autumn." Fall is my favourite season. Perhaps it's because I was born in September, or maybe it's because the rich colours of gold, rust, auburn, olive and brown flatter my complexion. Most certainly, it is because autumn signals not only the season's change, but renewed prospects within one's own life. It's back-to-school time, as well as back-to-work with renewed vigour, after summer's careless ease. And this fall I will be a student again, for the first time in many years.
Next week I'm off to Seville, Spain for an intensive five-week Spanish course. I will be testing my limits beyond the usual boundaries: living on my own for the first time in nearly seven years; pushing myself to ask tough questions and explore unusual places and forcing my mind to focus for hours at a time on learning a new language. As with all delicious autumn adventures, it is a challenge I enthusiastically embrace.
Ode to autumn
Warm palette of changing colours:
autumn leaves swirl
in the crisp cool air of possibility;
new beginnings beckon.
Isn't it remarkable how we each have a season that speaks so personally to us? Lovely poem.
Posted by: Marilyn | 25 September 2006 at 01:22
I love the leaves, they're beautiful. Such a great poem, too. Thanks!
Posted by: boliyou | 24 September 2006 at 18:27
Very nice poem and I love the pic. The trip to spain for the class will be an amazing adventure I am sure. Immersion is certainly one of the best ways I know of to learn a new language. I have long wanted to do something similar as I have flirted with learning Spanish for a long time. Reading is the easiest because you can study it and understand words based on context and assumption based on the latinate roots involved, but speaking (and understanding spoken Spanish) is the hurdle I have had the most difficulty overcoming due to a lack of sustained exposure. Best wishes in your adventure and you will have to post an entry in Spanish upon your return to demonstrate what you learned ;) Cheers.
Posted by: Mike | 23 September 2006 at 10:21
That's a positive take. :)
Posted by: Pearl | 22 September 2006 at 17:08
New beginnings beckon - a fantastic line! Love it!
JTL
xxx
Posted by: JourneyThroughLife | 22 September 2006 at 08:49
A marvelous twist Tara making Fall a new beginning. I LIKE.
Posted by: AnnieElf | 22 September 2006 at 00:40
Hmmm, 5 weeks alone as a student in Spain ... okay, I confess, I am afflicted by envy in this instance.
You'll have a marvellous time. I'm sure of it.
Posted by: Di | 21 September 2006 at 11:23
This is pleasing to the eyes, thanks for sharing, you sure know how to put a smile on my face :)
Posted by: cathy | 21 September 2006 at 01:54
Those great golden leaves! Wow!
Posted by: abhay | 20 September 2006 at 15:59
I'll be thinking of you during your travels and look forward to hearing about your adventures!
I adore your haiku, it totally speaks to me with it's palette of changing colours and swirling leaves and new beginnings. Fantastic!
Posted by: Willow Grace | 20 September 2006 at 09:48
You always amaze me with your adventures!!I like fall too...Born in Oct...Have a Muy Bueno Tiempo. Be safe!
Posted by: wendy | 20 September 2006 at 05:14
Beautiful poem (as always) - and have fun in Spain :)
Posted by: LuluBunny | 19 September 2006 at 18:50
what an adventure ahead. i lived in germany for a couple of years and traveled all over. and i love paris most of all.
have a blast!
Posted by: kj | 19 September 2006 at 18:13
What beautiful leaves you have! Great haiku, and hope you enjoy your time in Spain, and bring back lots of memories.
Posted by: Sandy | 19 September 2006 at 17:33
Beautiful poem! I also love Autumn and miss it being in Southern California. I hadn't thought that perhaps it's partially due to being born in early October! Best of luck with your studies!
Posted by: Jodi | 19 September 2006 at 15:02
Like you, Autumn is my favorite season. I especially love living here in the Northeast where very soon the trees and foliage will be ablaze ~ I love that.
Hurray for your travels to Spain! I really want to re-learn Spanish, what a great way to do that and I hope you'll update us while you're away with words and photos. 5 weeks is too long for you to be away from us. (=
safe travels. xo
Posted by: kristen | 19 September 2006 at 14:37
Lovely haiku! And such an exciting time ahead of you. I hope you will enjoy every moment and that you will discover new paths to trod!!
Posted by: jzr | 19 September 2006 at 14:03
Oh, my, Tara, how fabulous that you are taking up this challenge in Seville. I wish you the best of times there. May you learn a lot and hope this will be an adventure you will always cherish. Do post from Seville, if you can. I would love to read your impressions and observations.
Posted by: Lotus | 19 September 2006 at 11:51
Have an amazing time and do post from Seville! I just read your comments on Amber's and couldn't agree more with you Tara. BTW, when you get the chance, send me your mailing address in Spain and I will send you a mini care package! I think one of my favorite things is receiving care packages when I am away!
Posted by: Alexandra | 19 September 2006 at 06:06
Beautiful poem Tara. I am so happy for you and your new adventure in Spain. It is a very couragous endeavour and I wish you nothing but the best.
Like you, this is my favorite time of the year. I hope you'll be blogging from Spain (if you have the time) to update us.
Posted by: bella | 19 September 2006 at 03:36
5 weeks? You will be checking on us though? No hubby? Wow, you are something :) What a beautiful place to learn, eat and soak up the local color. Take pictures!
Great poem for your trip and loved those leaves :)
Posted by: Tammy | 19 September 2006 at 02:10
Lovely autumn leaves, Tara. Fall and spring have always been tied for my favorite season - I love them both. The weather is cooler, the sky is bluer and new beginnings of all sorts go on.
What exciting new challenges you've proposed for yourself! I can't wait to hear all about your adventures, when you return from your Spanish immersion project, Senora Tara!
Posted by: tinker | 19 September 2006 at 01:57
Those are beautiful, Tara. Of course, because they are from V&A! Anything from there is gorgeous! I find the older I get, the harder it is to get out of my "element." I guess comfort has a little to do with it. Good for you continuing to grow and not stagnate. I'm sure the thought of going is worse than it will be once you're there. You will have a marvelous time. xoxo
Posted by: Rosa | 19 September 2006 at 01:43
September has been the true beginning of the year for me as long as I can remember...as it is with most teachers...your poem resonates with me and the photos is a welcomed novel approach :-)
Posted by: susan | 19 September 2006 at 00:34
Tara,
What a terrific undertaking.Your adventuresome and courageous nature is wonderful to witness. Just like autumn, our favorite season, you've got pizzazz.
The poem is evocative; crisp air, crisp leaves, crisp colors and the anticipation of new learning.
(Sept. 23rd; 1st day of spring this year and next.)
rel
Posted by: rel | 18 September 2006 at 23:04
What exquisite leaves! Will you be blogging while you are away? Good for you for doing this, it sounds like quite a challenge.
Posted by: Catherine | 18 September 2006 at 22:42
Autumn always makes me sad.
Good luck in Spain, what a treat!
Posted by: Britt-Arnhild | 18 September 2006 at 22:38
"new beginnings beckon" delighted
me - there was such delight in this
line!
My favorite time of the year is fall
as well. I can smell the sweet
crunchy leaves in the air and cuddly
fires drifting out of people's chimney's-
i love to wear sweaters and hold
chai in my hands for warmth.
I feel energized and hopeful and
alive.
Just like your beautiful poem and
wonderful picture made me feel today.
Smiles!
Posted by: Sophie | 18 September 2006 at 22:06
You remind me so much of Rita Golden Gelman. Have you read her? Can't wait to hear about your trip, your thoughts, your adventures!
Posted by: jillypoet | 18 September 2006 at 20:54
Those leaves are beautiful, must take a trip down to London sometime.
Love the poem too, Autumn is my favourite season.
Posted by: Katherine | 18 September 2006 at 20:54
Fall is also my favorite season. See? We need to meet and talk about all we have in common!
How wonderful that you are doing this! An adventure, for sure. I can't wait to see all the pictures I am sure you find time to post for us! And to hear your thoughts on the city and people... You inspire me again, to do the things I still want to do, Tara. Thank you.
:)
Posted by: Amber | 18 September 2006 at 20:40
A very beautiful vignette!!!
My birthday is in early October, but I'm only beginning to appreciate the fall. I used to see it as the door to winter which I dreaded, but I no longer dread winter. I must be mellowing...
xox
Posted by: Colette | 18 September 2006 at 19:22
la buena suerte en la escuela! (ok, I admit I had to look that up). What a wonderful and bold adventure. I admire your tenacity and your willingness to part from your regular life for a time and learn a new language in precisely the right location for it!! You are my hero!
xoxo
Lisa
p.s. will you be able to blog while there? AND I love the Fall as well....it's such a splendid time of year.
Posted by: Lisa | 18 September 2006 at 19:16
Beautiful haiku, and good luck with Spain!
Posted by: Clare | 18 September 2006 at 18:58
What a perfect time of year to take on a "school" project like learning a language. I'm jealous.
And to get you started let me just say to you: "camaron que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente."
Which according to my Spanish daily phrase and culture calendar means figuratively: "you snooze, you lose." Literally: "shrimp that fall asleep are swept away by the current!"
Posted by: ally bean | 18 September 2006 at 18:57
lovely...autumn is my favorite time of year as well. have a great time in spain :D
Posted by: rhino | 18 September 2006 at 18:38
Buena suerte Tara! When you come back, we can then talk in spanish! :)
Muchos besos
Posted by: Catalina | 18 September 2006 at 18:19
I wait all year for the return of Fall. It is the best time of the year. Your adventure to Spain will be very exciting. It reminds me of when Quanah when to Spain right after college. He had no Spanish, no contacts, and just the smallest plan of where he wanted to go, but go he did. Clearly, one does not have to be "young" to take off like this, only "young" at heart.
Posted by: AnnieElf | 18 September 2006 at 17:53
This is gorgeous, all the colours, scents and textures of autumn, which is also my favourite season of the year. It always seems to me that there are no skies as luminous and starry as autumn skies and no moons as bright as autumn moons. How lucky you are to be born in such a season!
Posted by: Cate | 18 September 2006 at 17:00
how exciting, I do love an adventure. Great poem.
Posted by: jennifer | 18 September 2006 at 16:58
What a beautiful poem & I love the picture of the ornamental leaves ... oooo, gorgeous! How exciting to be embarking on a brief, but intense, learning journey. I do hope you'll be posting about your experience as it happens! Much love & peace to you, Tara. x, d
Posted by: Deborah | 18 September 2006 at 16:33
Learning Spanish is something I'd like to do, too.!animo!
Posted by: meredith | 18 September 2006 at 16:25
Autumn always evokes the desire for new beginnings in me as well - perhaps it is the perpetual student in me, longing for the back to school experience! Your poem today captures those feelings just perfectly. I love the "crisp, cool air of possibility"!
Lucky you, with your great impending adventure! I can't wait to read all about it :)
Posted by: Becca | 18 September 2006 at 16:13
I wrote a haiku for you.
Autumn leaves falling
golden, orange and burnt red
in whispering wind
Hope you'll be posting from Spain.
Posted by: Gemma | 18 September 2006 at 16:01
Yes I feel the crisp breeze as I read your poem! Those glistening autumn leaves look as though fairies created them. I take Spanish lessons at a local school and you go off to Seville!! Tara you blow me away at times with your life style!!Good for you I am sure you will do just fine on your autumn adventure!
Posted by: naturegirl | 18 September 2006 at 15:41
Those gold leaves are gorgeous! I was always more of a spring person myself, but I do love the colours of autumn.
Anyway, have fun in Spain!
Posted by: Kamsin | 18 September 2006 at 15:12
I'm happy for you and sad for myself that I'll miss you in Paris. I did a similar thing, going to Aix by myself for a month to study French, after a lapse of 20+ years, so I understand very well what you're doing and applaud your doing it. Will you be blogging from there, I hope?
Posted by: Laura | 18 September 2006 at 15:06
5 weeks by yourself? sounds like heaven to me :) ~ enjoy yourself xoxo
Posted by: miss*R | 18 September 2006 at 14:38
Hi Tara,
Enjoy Sevilla! It is the home of my soul. If you have time, go to Casa de la Memoria for Flamenco shows (try to catch Maria Angeles Gabaldon or Felipe Mato if they are dancing). I used to train flamenco with them (in Sevilla).
I miss Sevilla so much and a bit envious of you going there.
Enjoy it.
Nxox
Posted by: Nina | 18 September 2006 at 14:00
Those leaves are gorgeous (fall is my favorite too - the changing leaves colors; blue, purple, red; the smell of leaves; the smell of burning leaves)
You mentioned Spain; but did not realize what a challenge this was going to be. You have such an adventureous life. My daughter did something similar; going to Mexico to speak Spanish and tutoring children there. She loved it. Looking forward to hearing of your adventures.
Posted by: AscenderRisesAbove | 18 September 2006 at 14:00