Me, spilling out all my thoughts, inner and outer, on just about anything! Lots of poetry, short stories from past experiences, anecdotes about teaching elementary school, music, relationships....garage sale type thing...Something For Everyone!

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Indian Summer

Indian Summer is technically a fabulous warm sunny day in fall after the first frost. We've just had 3 days of Indian Summer in a row! They were a gift that reminded me of my favourite fall poem! We had to memorize it in Grade 4 and I still can recite it word for word! (Just don't ask me anything you told me yesterday!!) I love the imagery! I have taught this poem to Grade 3's and their illustrations are amazing.
William Wilfred Campbell (1858?-1918)


Indian Summer

Along the line of smoky hills
The crimson forest stands,
And all the day the blue-jay calls
Throughout the autumn lands.

Now by the brook the maple leans
With all his glory spread,
And all the sumachs on the hills
Have turned their green to red.

Now by great marshes wrapt in mist,
Or past some river's mouth,
Throughout the long, still autumn day
Wild birds are flying south.
Mother of Invention, still lovin' it!

9 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I bet it was fun to match up the photos with the poem... while eating an apple!

Monday, October 09, 2006

 
Blogger Richard said...

I don't recall ever having to learn poems by wrote in school.

Love the blue jay picture (of course, they are all lovely).

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Colleen: HA! HA! I can'y usually multi-task except when it comes to eating!

Richard: You missed out on something quite valuable, I think. Maybe they had strayed away from that by the time you went wherever you did. That would have seemed too closed an activity and lacking in imagination. But as a teacher, I blended it with the new open-ended approach of the time because I always felt it was beneficial to kids and I had loved it. I found they did too. They were proud to be able to learn and recite it together. I did a lot of choral jazz too with my classes just to update the mode.

I'd find it a lot harder to do at my age now! Kids' brains are like sponges. I can't believe I used to memorise a 5 minute speech!

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

 
Blogger Old Lady said...

The jays down here don't look as sweet as that.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Old Lady: They're striking here, except when they're at my back door, compliments of one mighty feline huntress!

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

 
Blogger RennyBA said...

What breath taken pictures and beautiful poem. You know I love the four seasons and right now fall is the beautiest:-)
We havn't had our first frost night in Norway yet, but I will of course keep you posted.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Renny: We are both lucky to live in places where we see dramatic seasonal change that is equally beautiful. I'm so surprised you haven't had your first frost yet! I thought you were ahead of us. It's getting dark here now a lot earlier and we'll change the clocks back in a few weeks so it'll really be dark then!

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

 
Blogger brooksba said...

Fall/autumn is my absolute favorite season. I do love it. What a sweet poem full of great fall imagery. You picked great pictures to go with it.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Brooksba: Thanks! I love fall too, the colours and the great crisp air and the smell of people burning wood in their fireplaces! Perfect imagery in this poem for sure!

Thursday, October 12, 2006

 

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