
Spring
My eyes reprise a splendid sight
While walking by a line of trees:
A damsel dancing with delight
In fields of flowers past her knees.
She spreads her trailing gown around,
Which then displays a field of green;
The blooms ascending from the ground
Enhance and crown the stunning scene.
Her scent pervades the passing breeze
That gently glides among the leaves.
The birds that fled the winter's freeze
Return to sing atop the eaves.
I've longed to see this springtime day,
To feel the breath of life renewed.
I love the scents from spring's bouquet;
Her early blooms are richly hued.
And while she warmly shares her charms,
I ponder verses I could sing,
For I've been freed from winter's arms
And now declare my love for spring.
In this poem, spring is personified as a beautiful damsel dancing in a field of flowers, spreading colorful blooms while imbuing the surroundings with her delightful scent.
Image by ALV - AI generated
Poetic form: Quatrain
© 2023, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

Winter
I saw her walk by me today,
And she was garbed in pearly white.
I paused as she began to dance
With gentle grace, to my delight.
She was so close, I felt her breath.
Her downy gown was at my feet.
What seemed like whispers in my ears
Were pleas from her to not retreat.
I had no love for winter days;
I'd shown in verse my deep disdain.
But then this moment came along;
From loathing her, I did refrain.
She held me captive in her arms
And softly kissed my naked cheek.
She then appealed with tears of ice,
No further words of hate to speak.
A sudden silence pierced my ears
As flakes of silk hung in the air.
Then myriad others joined with them,
Displaying winter's flowing hair.
I smiled and watched as she performed
Her ballet dance for me to see.
I then began to understand
Why winter fills the heart with glee.
I enjoy taking long walks in wooded areas during the spring and autumn seasons. The colorful blooms of spring and the vibrant hues of autumn are very appealing to me. However, there are occasions when I venture into the woods on snowy winter days. It’s not that I particularly like the winter season, but I do appreciate the beauty of gently falling snow accompanied by a light breeze. I wrote this poem after recalling one such snowy day.
Image by ALV - AI generated
Poetic form: Quatrain
Massachusetts State Poetry Society 2023 Arthur (Skip) Potter Memorial Contest - 2nd Place
Published at The Society of Classical Poets
© 2023, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

August
You serve exquisite, pleasant views
On luscious summer days of bliss.
I see cerulean and chartreuse
Wherever you have sown a kiss
To chase away my days of blues.
I have been moved to pen your days
Of sultry heat and starry nights.
But though a tome of words I graze,
Not one of them can reach your heights
To climb the chaise and light your fraise.
What words can I recite to you?
As you, O August, are ablaze
Because the sun has loved you too.
And so I hold no sway or ways
For words through poesy to coo.
The term "chaise" in this poem refers to a Victorian-era, one-person horse-drawn carriage, while the word "fraise" pertains to a decorative ruff worn around the neck.
Image by ALV - AI generated
Poetic form: Quintain - Sicilian
© 2022, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

End of Summer
When summer leaves and takes her warming shawl,
The birds toward the south begin to fly.
The leaves of wizened trees begin to dye
As shorter days announce the hues of fall.
In town, a weary man lies down to rest;
His lawn, pristine and green, begins to sleep.
At night, an autumn chill begins to creep,
A sign that winter starts an early quest.
Across the street, a lawn remained unkept
And harbored various weeds in carpet grass.
The drizzly morning saw a mower pass
As one misty-eyed dandelion wept.
Image by MariaM31 via Pixabay
Poetic form: Quatrain - Enclosed Rhyme
© 2021, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

Autumn's Return
As summer ends its months of jade,
It signals the return of fall.
The leaves on trees will start to blush
With tints of red from autumn's shawl.
When autumn clothes the shrubs and trees,
The birds return to southern lands.
The grassy lawns prepare to sleep,
And farmers reap with tireless hands.
The shorter autumn days renew
An earthy trace that fills the air.
The leaves release their musky scent,
Carried by the wind everywhere.
Parents watch their children at play
And muse about their youthful days—
The days of fall and mounds of leaves,
Where laughter rose like songs of praise.
Image by Valiphotos via Pixabay
Poetic form: Quatrain
© 2021, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

Winter's Hold
Her entry seems enchanting every year,
Arrayed in white to please the viewer's eyes,
But blemishes replace her thin veneer,
Revealing days of gray in her disguise.
She wears her stunning gown around the town
And drapes the trees, compelling them to sway.
The leaves that dress the trees in red and brown
Will land on winter's hands, then soar away.
Her flowing hair descends on barren trees,
Whose naked branches start to sag and bow.
But early spring can break her swaddling freeze,
Evicting winter's grip from every bough.
Her downy gown can seem like paradise,
But spring removes her spell of frost and ice.
Image by ALV - AI generated
Poetic form: Sonnet
© 2020, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

November's Early Kiss
A symphony of brilliant red
October weaves with crimson thread.
Those early weeks of blushing trees
And yellow-orange leaves can ease
A wistful man to reminisce
About his years of youthful bliss.
But once October's leaves are shed,
November can be seen ahead.
It brings along the shorter days
Of downy snow and morning haze,
Which pleases all who long for this—
To feel November's early kiss.
Image by ALV - AI generated
Poetic form: Couplet
© 2020, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

An Autumn Path
The path he takes this early day
Is dressed in dew and straws of hay.
The morning mist obscures his view;
The barn, though near, seems far away.
The sleepy sun begins to rise,
And light prepares to climb the skies.
He sees the path much clearer now,
As life awakened fills his eyes.
He senses changes autumn brings,
A mix of scents from lovely things.
The air, perfumed by turning leaves,
Is fragrance loved by serfs and kings.
Above he hears migrating birds,
Their calls of joy, like soothing words.
They tell of lands where warmth awaits;
A transient home for flocks and herds.
The cows have stirred and move about,
And roosters crow as piglets rout.
A dog begins to run to him,
His faithful friend and eager scout.
So much to do while autumn stays,
Before the freeze of winter’s gaze.
And yet, for now, he walks the path,
And sings a psalm of morning praise.
With this poem, I aimed to capture the essence of what life is like in a rural town, particularly farm living. The setting is that of mid-to-late fall, when the pleasantness of a morning walk makes one appreciate all that surrounds us and give thanks for it.
Image by stux via Pixabay
Poetic form: Quatrain - Rubaiyat
© 2020, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

Autumnal Days
Autumn's touch is seen when trees
Begin to blush at summer's end—
A hint of fall with every breeze,
When soothing, cooling nights portend
That she returns as colors blend.
She stalls the days of winter's freeze
When all the trees are set ablaze
And all their leaves are dressed to please.
It is the gown that she displays
To all who love autumnal days.
Cerise and crimson leaves can please
The pleading eyes of all who yearn
For wondrous autumn days like these—
To muse, to love, and also to learn.
But short—too short—is her return.
I penned this poem as a sort of ode to fall, emphasizing the colors, feelings, and bittersweet awareness of the season's transitory existence, as well as the emotional response it elicits in those who appreciate its beauty.
Image by ALV - AI generated
Poetic form: Quintain - English
© 2020, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

Winter's Breath
The sudden chill of winter's sigh
Caresses me when autumn flees.
My meager warmth she tries to pry
While planting kisses, cold and dry;
With icy breath, she starts to tease.
I'm bundled as I walk along,
But I can feel her hands on me.
She whispers in my ears her song;
Her wintry grip on me is strong.
She plants a frosty kiss with glee.
But soon I'll see the face of one
Who warms my soul with her embrace.
As frigid winter ends her run,
Her icy tears will be undone,
And early spring will kiss my face.
Though I appreciate the beauty of winter, it is not one of my favorite seasons. Taking a walk in the woods while snow gently falls is a delightful experience. However, windy days and biting cold temperatures make me long for spring and the warm days of summer.
Image by TanteTati via Pixabay
Poetic form: Quintain
© 2019, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

Seasons
O stunning fall of saffron gowns
And orange shades without compare,
You dress the trees in reddish browns—
The tears you'll shed at winter's glare.
Your works of art will turn to blight
When you depart at her command.
Her wintry gown of downy white
Will shroud the trees across the land.
But winter's spree will have to cede
To blooms that rise on warmer days,
Since snowy gowns cannot impede
The seeds that raise their arms in praise.
And at the end of scented spring,
When flowers clothe the verdant land,
Impatient summer waits to bring
A gown of jade and ocean sand.
Image by Noupload via Pixabay
Poetic form: Quatrain
© 2019, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

Spring's Promise
Her softest kiss she offered me today
When warming rays embraced my longing heart,
But winter's frigid hands pulled us apart
When falling snow concealed the day in gray.
I begged for spring to share her calming glow
As winter spread her snowy gown on me,
But she just sauntered off amid the spree
And took her warmth to yield to frosty snow.
But as she left, I felt a parting kiss,
Which seemed to me to be her pledge of ease:
"Fear not my frigid sister's cold embrace,
For days she has before I take my place."
And so, as winter rides a gelid breeze,
I wait to feel the touch of warmth I miss.
Image by ArtTower via Pixabay
Poetic form: Sonnet - Petrarchan
© 2018, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

When Spring Arrives
The songs of birds are heard outside
When spring arrives—a sprightly bride!
The budding flowers rise with pride,
Their brilliant colors amplified.
The rain revives the countryside,
Where verdant grass is spreading wide.
The rabbits, now with food supplied,
Step out with youngsters unified.
The insects crawl where they reside,
All types and shapes, divinely dyed.
The squirrels play, then run to ride
The arms the leafy trees provide.
I stroll as spring serves as a guide
To nature's beauty, magnified.
Tonight I'll dream, quite satisfied,
That early spring revived what died.
Image by Larisa-K via Pixabay
Poetic form: Quatrain - Monorhyme
© 2018, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

Winter's Call
O, can you hear her? Yonder autumn days?
A siren's voice as silent steps she takes?
Her nuanced hymns create a frosty haze
And warn the trees to brace for pearly flakes.
She pairs her feigned allure with lovely sights
And softly laughs while stealing warmth from me.
I fear her touch of cold and wintry nights;
She'll hold my face till spring can set me free.
And yet, her comely gown I long to see
When she arrives to waltz at break of day.
So when she starts to dance amid the spree,
My heart applauds her dazzling white ballet.
Through autumn's haze, her call I faintly hear;
She pleads with me, her cold arms not to fear.
With this poem, I express both admiration and apprehension for winter, personified here as a seductive yet unwelcome figure. I strongly dislike the seasonal change, yet I still admire the beauty it brings.
Image by ALV - AI generated
Poetic form: Sonnet
© 2018, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

The Last Red Tear
One leaf remains atop the tree—
A stalwart guard, it seems to be.
I sense the frigid days ahead,
The winds of winter stirring free.
The fallen leaves that strew the ground
Begin to stir about and 'round.
But this one leaf is holding on,
Despite the freeze that can't be bound.
As seen with those before this guard,
Whose reddish face the wind has scarred,
Its strength to hold will surely fail,
And winter's door will be unbarred.
When winter's breath tomorrow nears
And frosty air with snow appears,
The leaf will yield to wintry winds,
The last of autumn's crimson tears.
Image by Kathas_Fotos via Pixabay
Poetic form: Quatrain - Rubaiyat
© 2018, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

Autumn Tears
The changing scene at summer's end
Announces autumn's time is near.
The trees put on a wondrous blend
Of dazzling colors, held so dear.
The countryside displays a spread
Of golden leaves combined with brown,
Unveiling scenes of crimson red
That drape the length of autumn's gown.
But when it's time to say goodbye,
And winter makes the branches bend,
The trees allow their leaves to fly—
Their final tears at autumn's end.
Image by jplenio via Pixabay
Poetic form: Quatrain
© 2018, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

Walking On A Rainbow
While walking by majestic trees,
I pause to view the rustling leaves.
They fall and dress the verdant ground
With rainbow colors all around.
My steps alight on autumn's gown
Of yellow, gold, and orange-brown.
The fallen leaves, in hues of red,
Are crimson tears the trees have shed.
I then begin to think of you
And wish that you could share my view.
You would enjoy this morning's walk
Atop the rainbow while we talk.
Image by Valiphotos via Pixabay
Poetic form: Couplet
© 2018, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

And Heaven Cried
Fertile fields, once full of pride,
Die of thirst; the lands have dried.
Bare, undressed, no verdant grass;
Clouds of rain above them pass.
Others come from far away;
Silent prayers, the valleys send.
Bursts of tears were shed today;
Heaven cried, the land to mend.
Image courtesy of Pexel
Poetic form: Quatrain - Trochee
© 2018, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

A Summer Day
Her white summer dress sways with the gentle breeze
As she enjoys the pleasant warmth of the sun.
Early birds begin to sing among the trees,
Announcing that summer days have just begun.
Bright, blooming flowers in scented garments glow
And perfume the air while hummingbirds fly low.
Couples spread their blankets on the grassy field,
Where romantic words of love will be revealed.
Image by ALV - AI Generated
Poetic form: Rispetto
© 2018, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.

Lazy Summer Days
The seagulls ride the evening breeze
Above the waves with graceful ease.
I'm standing at the ocean's edge
As water roars below my knees.
The sand cascades between my toes
As waves retreat and water flows.
Euphoria cues my lips to smile;
I breathe the ocean's briny rose.
I love the lazy summer days
Of picnics, parks, and warming rays;
Of swimming, walks, and morning runs;
Of holding hands with hearts ablaze;
Of children playing with their dogs;
Of turtles basking, stretched on logs;
Of mothers baking cakes and pies;
Of ponds that echo songs from frogs.
I know these summer days won't last,
But here, where ocean waves are vast,
My future waits as I stand still
To watch the rolling waves recast.
Image by ALV - AI Generated
Poetic form: Quatrain - Rubaiyat
© 2018, Angel L. Villanueva. All rights reserved.