Promethean Autumn

Time has flown from May to September
the Winter of my days heralded by Autumn
no Indian summer like some I remember
but odd flashes of heat returned
in the rollercoaster from May to September
floods, fires, heatwaves what a year it’s been
a metaphor for my own life’s glowing ember,
an ember stolen from the gods wrapped in a leaf
and whose life is not by fickle fate encumbered
he chained to a rock in punishment for gifting man
we tortured or triumphant from May to September.

Written in response to  Melissa Lemay in Poetics over at dVerse Poets Pub.

© Andrew Wilson, 2023

25 thoughts on “Promethean Autumn

  • September 20, 2023 at 12:40 am
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    Very nicely done, Andrew. This one was a challenge for you being down under with Spring on the rise.

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    • September 20, 2023 at 5:57 am
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      Thank you Dwight – though I think the hint of Australian in my accent since visiting there in 1968 has mislead you – I live in west Yorkshire – England where we are currently being lashed by one of your dying hurricanes…
      I will be over to yours but this is the middle of my 2.5 day working week so not much time!

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  • September 20, 2023 at 2:02 am
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    Love this line

    “a metaphor for my own life’s glowing ember”

    So much wrapped up in that. Thank you for writing to the prompt.🧡

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    • September 20, 2023 at 2:49 pm
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      It was a pleasure Mellisa – I had been watching a drama that referenced Prometheus and he found his way into the poem…

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      • September 20, 2023 at 6:14 pm
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        “floods, fires, heatwaves what a year it’s been
        a metaphor for my own life’s glowing ember”
        Bravo!!! Nice one Andrew

        Much🖤love

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        • September 21, 2023 at 5:45 am
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          Thanks Gilllena and thank you for the form which I really enjoyed writing to!
          Much love💜

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  • September 20, 2023 at 6:44 am
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    Oh… and now we are just looking forward to the winter.

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    • September 20, 2023 at 2:45 pm
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      Not at all Björn – we are savouring every moment of Autumn whatever it throws at us…

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  • September 20, 2023 at 7:33 am
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    I agree, Andrew, time has indeed flown from May to September. I like the allusion to Prometheus and the ‘ember stolen from the gods wrapped in a leaf’.

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    • September 20, 2023 at 2:50 pm
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      Thank you Kim, I enjoyed writing to the tight form…

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  • September 20, 2023 at 1:30 pm
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    You roller-coasted well! I didn’t know you were in West Yorkshire either. Whereabouts? I was brought up in Birstall.

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    • September 20, 2023 at 1:48 pm
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      We are in Silsden – just north of Bradford. Thanks for visiting Jane…

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  • September 20, 2023 at 7:38 pm
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    “the Winter of my days heralded by Autumn”–I feel this every September as well.

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    • September 21, 2023 at 5:50 am
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      I am two years off three score years and ten and though I don’t feel nearly that age, various ailments accumulate and the approaching turn of another year cannot be denied…
      Thanks for visiting 💜

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    • September 20, 2023 at 9:57 pm
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      Thanks David – A tight form indeed but I liked it.

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  • September 21, 2023 at 10:49 am
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    from may to September indeed. really enjoyed this

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    • September 21, 2023 at 1:22 pm
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      Thanks Rog

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  • September 21, 2023 at 3:24 pm
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    “a metaphor for my own life’s glowing ember,
    an ember stolen from the gods wrapped in a leaf” —

    Just two of the all-together lovely rhymes and the mythic quality works so well! Beautiful.

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  • September 21, 2023 at 3:45 pm
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    I suppose we must thank Prometheus for giving us our fiery allusions and autumns’s glow.
    Finely crafted, Andrew!

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  • September 21, 2023 at 5:22 pm
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    I especially how you personalized this fold poem … a lovely write.

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    • September 21, 2023 at 6:03 pm
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      Thanks Helen – I try to put my heart into my poems…

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  • September 25, 2023 at 12:03 am
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    ‘a metaphor for my own life’s glowing ember’

    A beautiful image.

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    • September 25, 2023 at 5:44 am
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      Thank you Sara…

      Reply

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