Speakers’ Space • October 6, 2o22

Community Poem

~from the prompt

October falls. It always reminds...

Octubre se cae. Siempre me recuerda...

~after John Berryman’s Dream Song #385

• October falls. It alway reminds me

• of Halloween candy, and Bob, that

• change is beautiful and inevitable.

• It reminds me vibrations of sounds

• spoken and cried out.

that fancy falling leaves

hit your hair-

but not like coconuts.

It reminds me to never ever think

of falling asleep

under some coconut tree.

October falls and it reminds me

of a hard-toothed rake and a sack

of chicken scratch in back

of a rusty pickup. It reminds me

how leaves can gently fall from a family tree.

• It reminds me to slow down and notice

• the slide into winter,

• of angel biscuits hot from the oven.

•

• I feel like October, older

• but not in my winter years yet.

•

• October falls. It always reminds me

• of when as a little boy in the mountains

• of Pennsylvania, I hid in a huge pile of

• fallen leaves. When my dog Snickers came looking

• for me, I jumped out and scared him!

•

October Falls.

It always reminds me of

the intelligence of not

eating too many Tamales

way before Christmas;

they’ll make you not burp

before kissing.

October falls and it reminds me

bigger waves are coming and the

hustle and bustle of this

pumpkin farm town, and how long

the commute is on 92. It reminds me

of my Grandma and pumpkins, and pumpkins.

October falls and reminds me of death

and rebirth, to spread the love, and

drink with friends and stay out

til sunup, and eat sweets, and chocolate.

It reminds me of my girls in front

of the T-Pee in Half moon Bay.

October falls, it reminds me pumpkin lates

are here, and the coffee is hot so

watch your tongue. October falls and reminds me

of hot muffins on the beach in the morning

hot fudge at dusk, and wood burning fires at night.

It reminds me to find common ground with someone who

seemed like an enemy. Winter is coming.