Three cinquains for autumn, Judas pods, and off now.

beneath

the Judas tree

a snapdragon glows red

as a pheasant's cheek brazens out

autumn

~

morning

blackbirds argue

the toss of October

ragamuffin wind scattered

garden

~

sandals

and plimsolls leave

the perch of the shoe rack

lace-up walking shoes roost there now

and boots

~

(The first one came to me mostly unbidden.  I thought perhaps it would make a haiku, but it couldn't be reduced enough.  Looking in the manual, I found that, in fact, with very little work, it wanted to be a cinquain, of the American kind, as invented by the unfortunately named Adelaide Crapsey.  The link looks interesting, including the picture of Adelaide herself in a bare-shouldered-with-feathery-frills studio photograph, looking truculent - she doesn't really strike me as a feathery frills kind of gal ...

Having discovered this rather satisfying form by accident, I tried a couple more.)

~~~

Now the seed pods on the Judas trees are dry and kipper brown, but a week or so ago they were still pink-tinted, translucent and pliable.  The legend that this was the tree on which Judas hanged himself, after which its white flowers turned red with shame, is a puzzle to me, as I have never seen one of adequate height strength or growth habit for anyone to be able to do such a thing.  Perhaps they grow bigger down south.

~~~

Off now, Essex-bound, for my weekend, which we are resolved to make the best of - it's often surprising how much can be made of a short trip.  My sister and I are going to Cambridge and the Fitzwilliam museum anyway, where as well as the Persian paintings there is also an expo of Pre-Raphaelite portraits and a very posh museum caff offering what sounds like a delicious plate of Persian-style food to go with the paintings, which featuring as it does things like aubergines, chickpeas and spices, should go some little way towards making up for missing the curry if not the company that went with it.  I shall take the camera and warm clothing; I've not been to Cambridge for decades, but I do remember it being fairly parky - next stop the Urals and all that.

Back on Monday, and I hope to launch into the stretch of Nablo and daily posting; don't worry, mostly photos that need picking over before being swept off to the limbo of the external hard drive, nothing too demanding either of blogger or reader.  See you soon.