Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Podcast #Poetry #Flash Fiction – Changing Seasons and Crab Apples by Sally Cronin

Some more poetry and flash fiction from one of my collections.

Although we are heading into Spring here in the Northern Hemisphere, here is a reminder of the changing seasons and crab apples.

Sally Cronin – Smorgasbord Blog Magazine · Smorgasbord Poetry Changing Seasons And Crab Apples

 

Changing Seasons

The change in season has mind and body confused. One craves the sunlight slipping away. The other desires warming stews and comforting puddings. The birds forage in daylight storing fat for the long journey to the southlands. We must remain to make the most of the encroaching darkness.

moon of many names
urges the birds to migrate
following the path
genetically embedded
southward to long sunlit days.

Crab Apples

September and the crab apple tree drops its fruit. Small apples are picked up eagerly by children, but soon bored they play hide and seek as their grandmother takes on the task.
Later they cluster around her as boiled apples leak juice through muslin into pots by the range, joined by pounds of sugar to create a jelly. In winter months warm fresh baked bread and butter welcome the sweet preserve.

All long gone from this roofless and weather scoured cottage, but deer wander in from the forest to enjoy the sweet bounty and spread the seeds far and wide.

memories linger
etched into walls and rafters
reclaimed by nature
though you might hear faint voices
mixed with scent of sweet apples

©Sally Cronin 2023

One of the recent  reviews for my latest collection.

Pete Springer Five stars March 29, 2023

Sally Cronin has written a delightful combination of poetry and short stories with Variety is the Spice of Life. I seldom read poetry, but Cronin is a master of writing deep sensory poems with an economy of words. The Face in the Mirror is a beautiful piece about how the author has morphed into her mother. One of my favorite poems was about strawberries:
ripe
fragrant
strawberries
strong heady scent
hints of lusciousness
havoc played with senses
expectations of sweetness
taste buds keen for juicy first bite
their scarlet beauty enhanced with cream
taken to new heights with glasses of champagne

Cronin also includes her specialty—eight wonderful short stories. Each is character-driven, often focusing on relationships. Miss Lloyd’s Robin shows the transformation of a strict and unyielding teacher to her students to someone who learns a valuable lesson from a student she once misjudged.

Home Help is the story of an elderly widow named Martha who wants to stay in her home as long as possible. She is forced to hire a replacement to help her manage when she loses her maid. When “Andrea” comes for her interview, Martha discovers that Andrea is a man. Rather than dismiss him for being untruthful or thinking he isn’t up to the task because he is a male, she admires his ingenuity in getting past the stereotypical gender expectations. She has a good feeling about this and gives him a try. Her open-mindedness proves to be a sound decision, allowing her to remain in her home for several years. 

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page My books and reviews 2023