Autumn Lady by Susie Hemingway

She came rushing in, or though it seemed to me,
disbelief that this colourful Lady with her cloak of reds and golds
had already arrived, when I glanced from my window.
I must have been looking the other way!
but then we don’t count the days pursuing more important matters now…
As the relentless stricken battle appears once more on the horizon,
had she come to distract my mind or bring colours to my heart?


This feckless stunning Lady who sheds her clothes
and scatters them where she will,
like drops of tears in a template of sadness perhaps?
A powerful change of authority as restless and now incipient to decay.
Old roses fade and fall like shattered fragments of glass
from a precious mirror,
the hedgerows become bare, no more luscious berries
but still holding onto their thin strips of life.


Leaves, could they ever be more beautiful?
turning to deep maroons and burnished, glinting, jewelled colours.
Conkers appearing from their secret shells to fall in copper splendour
from the impressive stately Horse Chestnut trees.
We arrived, like we had just opened our eyes.


Another Autumn! who would have believed we would see this majestic
Lady together, dumbstruck once more at her beauty
but belligerently waging war on staying in our perfect peaceful Summer…
not for us, the rushing of time…




All Rights Reserved.

I Missed You - by Susie Hemingway

I missed you, when the heated rhythm of Salsa
- that feels so like chillies when they touch
your tongue - drifted across the dance floor.
I missed you as this enticing music reached
my jewelled pinned ears.


Where were you? when the luscious sounds of
Sax blues, caught my needy toes
so carefully encased in high dancing shoes.
Where were those slim ‘sun touched’ hands that would
reach to twirl me to the dance floor.


Where was the graceful dancer, whose gentle persuasion
could spin me like a whirlpool, making me turn
and sway to the sounds of Latin beats and Bluesy tones.
Tell me, where were those magical eyes,
those sparkling rays of light, that always laughed with me.


Where was that smile, those breathy movements on the
dance floor, those feet that could glide and coax
the dancer from my soul…
How my heart wants to dance with you once more,
instead of standing alone when the music calls to me.


I watched the others spin and whirl but my arms were empty,
sadness for your charms that made me feel like sixteen again.
I was never a wallflower but she has found me now,
where were you… when the deliciously heated sound of Salsa
reached my ears… where were you?


@ Copyright 2009 Susie Hemingway.

Wallflower Photo: courtesy of Janey Johnson- All Rights Reserved

*This Poem Although Written About My Husband Hamada, Was Posted On The Day Patrick Swazey Died Of Pancreatic Cancer. Patrick was a wonderful dancer bringing much pleasure to many ladies who saw him in the enchanting film “Dirty Dancing” So I dedicate this poem to Patrick-may you continue to dance in Heaven- and to all lovers of dancing"

"It Was A Comforting Day" - Susie Hemingway

“It was a comforting day” you said
skies of blue, white vapoury
scudding clouds lifting the
shimmering colourful kites
to the heavens in breezy skitsy way,
I followed your eyes
I tried to see your soul,
in quiet reverie as no one knows
the heart that pushes down the pain
in a day affirmative that popped
like champagne.

Laughter surrounds you
consuming and capturing this
mere moment but for you a life
so difficult and as fragile
as the bubbles in my glass,
breathe my love, live in mind forever
this sun warmed golden day
of perpetual joy,
paint these brushstrokes
on your heart, for life is now,
this time is ours
as precious and as beautiful
as the stunning mosaic sky.


My cares fluttered like the
swooping of the Kites
free and belonging to the skies,
intrinsic as the white opal swirls of the clouds
tossing my sadness into the wind
so carrying us forward with courage
to yet another day
refreshed and replenished
you glanced at me,
in soft light fading...it was a comforting day.


Copyright@Susie Hemingway 2009.
Photo courtesy of Matt Rutherford.

This poem is dedicated to Dianne and Vern West, Nevada, Arkansas USA
for their courage.

"It Was A Comforting Day" has now been selected by United Press for a new book of Poetry called "Spring Vision" to be published shortly.