Why Kids Love Halloween

Pumpkin Patches,
We wander around and pick our own pumpkin.

Knives,
We take a knife in hand and carve holes.

Fire,
We put candles inside and light them.
The glow they give off in the dark is magical.

Costumes,
We dress up like someone we are not and parade the neighborhood with friends and family.

Darkness,
We go out after dark to run, walk, talk, and play.

Time,
We spend a whole evening with Mom and Dad, brothers, sisters, and friends.

CANDY,
We collect a year’s supply of suckers, bubble gum,
bite sized chocolate bars, jaw breakers, and
Reese’s Pieces.

Why some parents dread Halloween,
All of the above except
Spending time with their kids.

Cerita M. Hewett
October 30, 2015

Solo S’mores

I made s’mores in the
Microwave today,
By myself,
Graham crackers—chocolate—marshmallows,
Leftovers from a family picnic,
Though I admit to buying more chocolate.

It took only milliseconds
For the marshmallows to swell and soften,
The chocolate to wobble and spread,
All the ingredients were present
For the anticipated sweetness.

Yet there was not much satisfaction,
Without red coals burning,
Marshmallow flame outs,
Children laughing,
Grown-ups talking,
Cool evening air,
And each of you there!

Cerita M. Hewett
October 2008

Squirrels

The leaves and branches of the oak
Flutter and spring,
I wonder why as there is no breeze,
The rainy morning has becalmed.

Then gray squirrels
Descend from the tree,
One, two, three.
They scamper away
Each in a different direction.

Only to return and leap
Up the trunk and out
Onto the ends of the branches,
Bouncing and swaying
Like children playing and swinging.

Now I see them biting off
Acorns and pouching them,
Working to acquire tasty nuts,
Before running back into the woods
To hide their treasures.

I never knew squirrels
Picked acorns,
Before, I had only seen them
Gathering from the ground.

Something new to me,
Delighted at the discovery
I filed this incident under ‘Squirrels’,
And sat still on the porch,
One quiet morning in October.

Cerita M. Hewett
October 23, 2015

Sassafras Tree

Through the pines and cedar,
I noticed a Sassafras tree turning gold,
I thought, I better go stand beneath it
Before little breezes carry
All the leaves to the ground.

Before it stands bare,
And leafless,
Against the coming freeze.

It would be a shame to miss all that
Warmth and shining light.
Today I went and basked beneath it,
Remembering other times
When I waited too long.

Cerita M. Hewett
October 21, 2015

Hitchhikers

Walking through the woods today
I picked up a bunch of light weight hitchhikers.

They stuck to my socks,
Clung to my pant legs,
And even managed to
Attach them selves to my sweater.

Some are pointy and barbed,
While others are just
Rough, sticky, and
Clingy.

I sat on the porch picking them off
One by one,
Since it is impossible to just
Brush them away.

One cannot walk in the fields and woods this fall
Without giving them a most unwelcome ride,
So I remove them carefully,
As they can even hang on through the wash!

Now, carrying my pile of riders
Into the house to the garbage pail,
So as not to plant them in the lawn,
One pokes my ankle and
It becomes apparent that some
Are still hitchhiking!

Cerita M. Hewett
November 2014

Pathways (for Yvonne)

It would be nice to take a walk
With you in our woods today
Among the pines,
Oaks,
Sassafras,
Sweet gum,
Dogwood.

The pathways wind
Gently through the trees,
Who have on their most
Elegant fall dresses,

The air is crispy cool.
I think we would enjoy the walk
And once again some time together.

Cerita M. Hewett
November 23, 2014

Thanksgiving Symphony

The goose orchestra is playing today on the lake,

A cacophony of sound

Tossed into the air by a brisk north wind,

Softened by the muffled wing flapping of late concert goers.

The gray sky and brown grass welcome the joyous music,

On an otherwise silent winter day,

As a thousand geese perform a symphony of gratitude,

For their safe arrival to our little lake of the south,

And we, with God, are listening.

Cerita M. Hewett
November 2005
Revised November 2014

Her Favorite Hour

(for Alisha)

Her favorite hour of the YEAR?
Daylight Savings’ Fall Back Morning.

Nothing is planned,
No one can demand it,
Because this mythical hour,
Actually doesn’t exist,
Truly a FREE hour,
She can really sleep in.

Thank you Woodrow Wilson.
You probably didn’t think of
This unintended consequence
Of your World War I policy!

Cerita M. Hewett
October 30, 2015

Painting With Leaves

Sunday evening the grand children and I
Went for a walk in our woods,
The forest was quiet,
The pine needles deep and soft beneath our feet,
Some of the deciduous leaves had begun to
Turn colors and fall to the forest floor,
The girls kept giggling and dancing about
Like children having been let out of church,
I kept feeling Elena and then Isabel
Touch the back of my sweater,
I couldn’t see what was happening but
I knew they were putting something,
On my fuzzy sweater vest,

Finally at the house after a photo,
I was able to see their work,
My back was a beautiful leaf painting!

Cerita M. Hewett
Nov. 7, 2011

Harvesters

Arrived today
Somehow they know
When the husks
Split open on the pecans.

My man plants his booted foot
On one end of a springy slat
Lifts up the other end and
Three times he lets it go.
Wham! Wham! Wham!

The shinny black demons fly
Cawing their irritation at a feast
Interrupted.

Circling, calling raucously they
Descend again
Signaling their defiance
At the warning whams.

We go out
Sacrificing gorgeous autumn days to
Shake the trees and
Gather up the nuts,
Not conceding
All the delicious pecans to
The harvesters.

Cerita M. Hewett
November 2001
(revised 2014)

PineyWoodsPoet

a winding walk in the woods

Fall