"The Old Apple Orchard"

The Old Apple Orchard

Twined and twisted,
China Orchard hunches
amidst mountain, lake, forest and creek.

Recalls a sapling's delicate sway

and prosperous seasons
of horse drawn carts spraying,
careful hands pruning, fondling, plucking -

relieving heavy limb of bounty ripe and red.

----

Today, basking in Autumn's tempting color
and slanted heat,
beware rattlesnake and copperhead -

Today beware, cyanide and sulphur
that steeps in soil
beneath weary limbs gnarled and boughed.

by Margaret Bednar, October 18, 2015

Moses Cone Memorial Park is located along the Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina.  Moses Cone grew wealthy with the denim industry and built a mansion in the Appalachian Mountains just outside of Boone and Blowing Rock, NC.   He built his 13,000 square foot mansion (1901), Flat Top Manor, high on a hill overlooking Bass Lake, 25 miles of carriage trails, and 3,500 acres.  Within these 3,500 acres he had a prosperous apple orchard, "China Orchard".

I walked the gently sloping trail to Bass Lake and passed the old apple orchard.  A sign and fence warn of pesticide contamination and forbid children and people beyond a certain point.  A few trees still stand, most are gone.  It fascinated me... The thought of Moses Cone being one of the fist conservationists, yet the soil now contains "traces" of pesticides and his good intentions...

HERE is a link to a blog that has a few photos and a quick history of the place.  HERE is the Blue Ridge Heritage website.

This is linked with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Sunday Mini Challenge - Falling Into Lines"

"Reverence"

Reverence

October's stillness blankets me,
offers benediction:

undulating gentleness
glides behind the drake,

milkweed parachutes adventure
upon her breeze

father and son hold hands, latter silenced
by valley and mountains ablaze.

The leaves have yet to frolic, the boy
to voice his questions.  Now's the time for worship.

by Margaret Bednar, October 14, 2015

Blue Ridge Parkway - near Blowing Rock, NC

linked with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Up Close & Personal - Micro Poetry" and also their "Tuesday Platform".

I originally used the word "blessings" but I really think I overuse that word in my poetry.  I think benediction is a nice alternative.

"Autumnal Serenade"

Autumnal Serenade

Summer's thrift
baskets beneath Autumn's sky,

tumbles, stacks ornamental
upon doorsteps.

Scarves, cabled and cowled,
wrap about shoulders and necks,

calloused palms clasp wooden rakes

as leaves no longer cleave

to branch and stem,

and winter's rift has yet to rear
and strike.  Slanted sun stills upon cheeks
wonder-flushed,

while window sill, flung aside,

serenades with promise
of wandering woodland walks

and wind-blown hair.

by Margaret Bednar, October 8, 2015

This is linked with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads -  Get Listed for October".  I used the combinations thrift/rift  and  wander/wonder.