by Gregg Rowe
It is a green aspen morning
The morning dew misty upon the fields
sun rays illuminating green aspen leaves
under the green shade awning
Here are my brothers and sisters
here are my aunts and uncles
here are my cousins and nephews
with apples in cardboard boxes
each odd-shaped
different from the other
yellow, green, red
I hold one in my palm
smelling the fragrance of the land
round and firm,
like a breast
mature and scented
My brothers and sisters
my aunts and uncles
my cousins and nephews
leave the green shade awning
Scents intertwining with the breeze
beautifully odd in shape
one from the other
filling the early morning mist
Author notes
I am giving you permission to print my poem for your mother.
Summer Vacation (2002)
Oil on Canvas 12 x 14
Gregg Rowe
Collection: Gregg Rowe
This poem is a rememberance of my birth province, British Columbia, and the Okanogan Valley, a two hour drive from Vancouver, BC where the apple orchards intoxicate you during their fruitation season in the summer/fall with their smells during picking them after the season. I would usually wait until they felll from the tree, but then those ones were bruised and hard to sell, so we had to climb ladders and carefully pick them off with a wicket basket slung on our shoulders.
Written September 26th, 1998
In a list
- Canadian Family Portraits • next in list
- Gregg's Silver Cups • next in list
- The Honorables • next in list
- Showcasing His Oil Paintings through Poetry • next in list
A contest entry
- The Hills Are Alive With . . . by mysticstorm.
450 points, ended November 27, 2006, 9 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - For Poets who entered Winklings or satellites in Autumn. #84 by Andantino.
700 points, ended December 17, 2006, 7 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 25 of 25
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This was wonderful an dso vivid with imagery
a great worded poem thanks for sharing and congratulations on your H.M. well done
Warm thoughts
Frozentearz -
Interesting metaphor used, fruit as family. A colorful piece, filled with nostasgia and lovely sights, sounds and smells. Very nicely done
Thank you for joining in the fun, best wishes!
Winkie
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I think all families have a variety of 'fruits' in their basket, I know mine certainly does!
A lovely pen with great imagery and thoughtful anologies. There's not a better memory to be had than of family and tegetherness, spent doing something worthwhile that can be enjoyed by all later. We always had a family garden/farm that we each took pride in sharing the responsibilities...Thanksgivings were more than a holiday, it was a day to reap all our hardwork, Thanks for the memories Gregg!
Best wishes in this contest! blessings Sandi
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Thank you so much for your entry and the wonderful memory. my mother use to climb the apple trees when young and eat the apples til she got sick or my grandfather got upset. LOL
Best to you!
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great
Wow, that is a beautiful painting and a beautiful poem! I felt like I was right there in the apple orchard! Fantastic job and good luck in the contest!-Erin -
Gregg, what wonderful memories you have of your childhood, such a peaceful place to be able to grow up in. Your painting is also so very beautiful my friend~love~Joan
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wow, this is so uplifting and so pretty. Good work! keep it up!
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This poem brought up memories of some many years ago.
The canvas is beautiful and so is your poem. The place you describe seem to be so peaceful...memories as that will never fade in our mind.
A very pleasant read, thanks!
Mari
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It's such a nice, peaceful poem it sounds like your birth province is such a wonderful place. When I first saw the title of your poem I said to myself, "I definitely HAVE to read this poem!!" just the title of it sounded fantastic and you know what...I am soo happy I did. By the way the picture really goes well with the poem it's such a lovely picture! It sort of reminds me of Hobbiton in Lord of the Rings which I am guessing you like cause of you name. I'm a fan myself. Anyways thank you sooooo much for letting me read this I am soo happy I did. Good luck in the contest keep up the writing!
Kayla -
When I was a yongster my uncle used to pile me, my cousins, and brothers and sister in his station wagon. We would drive to the country to pick apples. You took me there with this "Delicious" poem. Thanks to the Heavens for childhood memories!
Good luck with the contest.
Much Love,
Renee
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i love how you described this painting, and i see it is close to your heart. there are so manythings we do in our youth that we dont discover was cool until we are too old to go back.
great imagry with teh breast thing too! -
this is so beautiful! British colombia must be a wonderful place, you're so lucky to have lived there! great job and congradulations!
Jen -
Thank you Zee for your comments and considering this for a trophy. I will see you in a few days. Gregg
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I love it. I really do. You write with such beautiful language. I also love the way you used repetition. It's really a most beautiful poem. I can't even really express how it makes me step into that world and smell those "Scents intertwining with the breeze
beautifully odd in shape
one from the other
filling the early morning mist"
Thank you so much for entering my contest. zee
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this was beautiful gregg, it reminded me of the time my family and i would go to the market in germany and buy hot apple cider...great write, as always,
love,of course,
caity -
Thank you so much for the Honorary Mention in your contest. I hope that I will be able to enter more of your challenges in the future but I must get out of here and study for my finals at university. Pe4ce
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I was raised in Beautiful British Columbia when I was a child and they have apple orchards in the Okanagan Valley that when you step out of your car the air is premeated with this cider flavor from the apples when in season. Families are harvesting their baskets and that is where this poem transcended from.
Edited on Mar 30, 11:13 because ''. -
I have a place in my heart for my family and as you will see when I write more poetry that they do not reciprocate this same love. But I always tell may friends that no matter how they feel towards me and my choices in life, they are still my family and even when we go through our differences as in most cases, there is that unconditional love I have for them that I transcend through my poetry for them. It was a pleasure to enter your contest, just to showcase my treasure.
Edited on Mar 30, 11:10 because 'spelling (as usual), why don't they put the spell check up here for messages also'. -
The imagery in this free verse is wonderful: I even could smell the aspen trees and the apples! What a great memory to have of your family and, someday, they shall return your sentiments. Good luck in the contest! Love and hugs, BonnieQ
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Beautiful write. Nature is a kin I believe, for without her we would not be.
Thank you so much for entering my contest, I really enjoyed your poem.
Peace & Love
FifthDove
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hahahaha...wow, and i thought it was pretty obvious. Well you know what they say...great minds think alike, Gregg!
And hey, better to be a ripe fruit than a sour, worm eaten one anyday, right?
UB
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Finally someone gets it!!!! thank you, I was wondering how long it would take before the hidden message was discovered, I'm the only ripe fruit left in the family hahaha
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Now there is an interesting analogy...family and fruit. I think i like it! You have a creative mind LOTR!
UB
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Beatiful I love nature. I have never been outside Texas but you make aspen sound so beautiful. i hope I can visit there someday. Beautiful write
Haley -
Beautiful nature write Greg, sounds like a fine family also. I enjoyed the read. Thanks for commenting on Chevy, jean
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