Savor the Seasons
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Poems in Savor the Seasons include:
Return to Innocence
The land wants to more,
no more pounding,
no more thunder.
But the rage pours down,
pulsating and drumming,
louder and louder.
The storm goes on and on,
and she fills
with pain, hurt and fear.
She wants to return
to the days of rambling rivers
and meandering streams.
Return to the innocent
times without tiles, or dams,
when water ran free.
First Snow Kiss
The flakes relax
on her forehead,
melt on her face
and becomes dew,
that drips from her nose
landing on her tongue.
Sweet is the flavor
for the young
kissed by snow.
A Prairie Sea
The sun's warmth and prairie rains
transform pastures in a yellow sea,
that becomes a lake of puffer fish
that explodes and fills the air with silver,
exciting children to chase the swirls
in a make-believe sea.
The Winemaker
We walk among the vines
unaware of the future bouquet.
For the unknown
is the force that drives
the need to create.
But rich is the person
who presses the grapes into wine.
The efforts are worth the risks
regardless of ribbons won.
Exit Stage Left
A melancholy drama
blends pleasant days and frosty nights.
While sounds of marching bands
and football teams are heard backstage.
Hillsides turn to orange and red
like a smoldering sunset.
At each day's end the scene expands
until the hills are ablaze.
Cold air from Canada
and morning frost creeps across the boards.
Ice covered dewponds
quickly melt with the late rising sun.
The first snow arrives on stage.
A hard freeze grabs the amphitheater,
and the backdrop is set for winter.
Autumn's performance is over.
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Book Details
About the Book
Joe Millard reflects on the landscape of Iowa in his new poetry collection, Savor the Seasons. His poems portray a land alive with nature, flowing with rivers that are visited by thunderstorms and winter blizzards. This is a place where flowers flourish, rivers reign, grain grows, and people play. Joy and sadness mix with the feel of rain, the sound of wind, the sight of life, and the smell of death.
These verses are intended to speak to those who are passionate about the land and have a feel for the soil. The collection is organized by seasons, beginning with spring and ending with winter, with each season speaking in its distinct voice; they may not always obey the calendar, but rather express their moods when they are ready.
From his 1953 poem entitled “December,” written while he attended high school in Jefferson, Iowa, to “Mississippi Journey,” a reflection on Huckleberry Finn’s excursion, Millard’s poetry captures the true essence of life in the Midwest.
Savor the Seasons
Heed the spring thunder,
enjoy the summer sun,
experience an autumn sunset,
taste the winter snow,
and embrace the magic.
About the Author
Joe Millard is a lifelong resident of Iowa. He earned a BA and MA from the University of Northern Iowa and a PhD from Iowa State University. Joe and his wife, Fran, have four children and ten grandchildren; they live in Waukee, Iowa. This is his fourth published book; he is also the author of Seeing Through Gray Colored Lens, The Quiet Journey (Memoirs 1936 to 2000), and Where Did All the Cowboys Go?