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EDGE OF AUTUMN by Tracie Nichols

Being infinitely (some would say annoyingly) curious, observation is breath to my soul...

I’m always, always looking to see what’s changing in my interior landscape and listening into how that change is shifting my self perceptions. 

I do this with my external terrain, as well. Most days I greet the morning sitting quietly outside simply being with the land where I live. Over time I’ve come to know the rhythms of this place as intimately as I know the rhythms of my own body. Sometimes I wonder if there’s truly a place where my body ends and the earth’s body begins (she says waving her blossoms in the air, enticing bees to come pollinate.)

My writing usually emerges from within the sticky, turbulent, ripe confluence of woman’s nature meets wild suburban nature. This poem in particular flowed out one morning when I noticed how my formerly dormant urge to write was emerging, wet and gleaming, through the ebbing of the energies of late summer. 

Edge of Autumn
by Tracie Nichols

I’m surprised this morning
by noticing how much sound
guides me through the seasons

How the tone of the crickets changes 
as we reach late summer
and the sounds of 
chickadees 
and 
titmice
are more present

My ears listen
for the sounds
of geese on the move

to tell me
that fall is coming
and the days of 
insect song
are ending

dipping us into
the near silence of winter
wind and snow and 
birdsong in droplets
of sound
morning and evening

I’m surprised this morning
to notice how much
words needed to move
through me
and into the world

like the season of listening 
and gathering ideas
is over
and now
wordscapes flow
freely.

(Find more of Tracie's poetry in our new book! Just click here

Tracie Nichols has written poetry since she was 11 years old. While most of her early works are gone (this is probably a good thing) she continues to scribble poems at odd hours about everything from the state of her soul to the sounds of her kitchen. In truth, though, her poetic heart belongs to the deep green places of our wildly, fiercely, sacred, earth. When she isn’t making poetry with words she’s listening to the whispers of the green world, making alchemy with plants and stones and moonlight wildness. Tracie blogs, shares resources and generally nurtures at her website here. Connect with her also on Twitter or Facebook. 



~If you are interested in seeing your poetry appear in this blog, or submitting a poem by a woman that has inspired you, please click here for submission guidelines. I greatly look forward to hearing from you!~

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