Poem of the Day: “Autumn Fire” by Mary Soon Lee

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review is pleased to present “Autumn Fire” by Mary Soon Lee.  Ms. Lee was born and raised in London but has lived in Pittsburgh for the past twenty years. Her poetry credits include the Atlanta Review, Ideomancer, and Star*Line. Her poem "Interregnum" won the 2014 Rhysling Award for Best Long Poem.

Autumn Fire

Mary Soon Lee

In the early dusk

we fed the flames together,

casting dry leaves, twigs,

pages from magazines

onto the bonfire.

     

Yard cleared, work done,

still we stood,

cold and getting colder,

and if we spoke

that was only

the smallest part

of what we said to each other,

standing there,

side by side,

breathing smoke.

Poet’s Notes:  I often helped my father build bonfires in our back yard, and this poem distills those memories.

Editor’s Note:  I like the Imagist school feel of this poem, as well as the unexpected rhyming of "spoke" and "smoke."  "Autumn Fire" was first published in Main Street Rag, Volume 17, Number 3, Summer 2012.