I’ve been looking out for a certain kind of caterpillar, thinking of its presence as a sign; a prime indicator that autumn is here. The caterpillar I refer to is known as a ‘Hairy Molly’. I think this is actually a slang term for the larvae of the fox moth, but don’t quote me. I’ve just done a small bit of Intenet research and it can only be trusted so far!
Anyway, I was delighted to spot a Hairy Molly in the garden, a few days ago. There’s just something about that earthy, furry appearance that places me firmly in the crossover zone between summer and autumn – a place where the richness of berries draws the eye, where leaves ready themselves for change and colder evenings cause my husband and I to sit closer together on the sofa . . .
The Hairy Molly sighting also gave me an excuse to dig out last year’s micropoem and tweet it for the benefit of my Twitter followers who may have missed it. If you haven’t seen it, take a look:
I rescued a runaway catkin,
‘Hairy Molly’, they said,
but my yellow leaf made light of her dark coat,
carried her home.
K. S. Moore
Rediscovering this poem made me feel a little guilty that I haven’t written more micropoetry this year. I have written a few pieces, but not as many as I did through last summer and autumn. Perhaps I haven’t been out and about quite as much. The thought prompted me to go for a walk yesterday, in the hope that I might see, hear, or feel, something worthy of a new poem.
Immediately, the sky caught my full attention. It was a startling shade of blue, emphasised by the deep black raven which circled relentlessly. I watched him; the fluid movement of his curved wings, and I heard him; his strange voice rattling the still atmosphere. Words began to form . . .
I’ve also been working on a number of full length poems recently. One was inspired by the gigantic beetle I spotted at Mahon Falls, and a couple of poems have grown from my experience of being pregnant for the first time.
Meanwhile, I recently discovered a gorgeous website called ‘Nutshells and Nuggets‘, inviting submissions of short poems. I sent off three and all of them were published a couple of days ago. Do head over to the site for a read!
Photo credit: Jo Garbutt / Foter / CC BY