All Around Me A Poem

I'm enrolled in a poetry workshop at Emory this fall. This is the first time I've given poetry any serious consideration. I'll be reading lots of poetry and writing some too. The first class was last Tuesday, and my first assignment is to write a narrative poem to share with the class this week. Following is the poem that I wrote.

Poem revised on 10/28/13 based on class feedback. I like it better now.

All Around Me A Poem

I prayed for inspiration,
sat quietly on the porch—
waiting.
I drank a pot of coffee,
and searched the woods for words.
Perhaps that pileated woodpecker
hammering away at the dead persimmon,
or maybe the single maple leaf
floating silently to the ground—
followed soon by another, then three all at once.

I read a book on how to write a poem,
then paced my lonely lane.
I felt the crunch of the gravel beneath my feet,
heard the hawk’s piercing cry,
watched my old corgi prance like a young pup,
darting and ducking as he corralled his imaginary herd.

Still nothing.
Tuesday deadline fast approaches,
and I must write a poem.

But about what?
Chopping cherry and hickory for the cold that is soon to come?
Or maybe these fleeting fall days
or the bevy of birds that share my country life
or the squirrels that frisk and fuss
or this bouquet I picked
of aster, callicarpa, ageratum and solidago.