A Year of Octobers / Astronomical Love / Love Like a Tree
by Evelyn Megery
Ohio Northern University
As a multimedia and communications student at Ohio Northern University, Evelyn enjoys using her skillset to bring stories to life. She can often be found reading a novel, doing freelance photography or putting together various multimedia projects. She is the Non-Fiction Editor for Polaris literary magazine and the Multimedia Editor for Northern Review student Newspaper.
A Year of Octobers
Sometimes I wish I lived
in a year of Octobers.
— Not just any October —
the kind filled with burnt-orange
leaves that crinkle underneath
your feet and urges you to weave
uncovered toes through the grass.
— And the smell! —
the smell of bonfire smoke
wafting through the autumn air,
breezing past husks of corn and
into the freshly harvested fields.
I miss the evenings of
sun-scorched backs
— mama’s aloe a quick remedy —
and the chilled waters of the lake
washing away our woes, for those
moments were snippets of Heaven
— confined only to a month —
and oh, how I wish those
God-blessed days lasted longer.
Oftentimes, I look back on
October with bittersweet memories
— more sweet than bitter —
and loathe how I may never return
to the golden evenings of youth.
It truly breaks my heart
— right in half, I’ll admit —
but I think I found a solution;
it’s simple, you see. If only
there was a year of Octobers.
Then there would be nothing to lose,
little to gain,
but an eternity of
sunbursts and freedom.
Astronomical Love
Light years span between you and me
to form an unbearable distance of separation,
and there is little comfort in the pockets of time
that I may catch a glimpse of your reflection.
No amount of dust in the universe can
sculpt a replacement for your presence,
so here I sit amongst the rocks and decay
searching for your likeness in the shadows.
In times of great despair, I often find myself
gazing into the burning core of the sun,
desperate to feel the passion within my
bosom burst with energy and affection.
Alas, I am locked away on a desolate
planet to be starved and lacking life,
and I look into the eyes of Andromeda
yearning for a sign of empathy in her gaze.
Oh! the taste of the Milky Way is sour
in comparison to the time spent with you,
for I would much rather live a life of unknowns
than be consumed in a universe of emptiness.
Love Like a Tree
Days upon days passed us by,
have they not?
A reflection of times’ endurance,
our memories must not be forgot.
At a time when we were young,
our lifelines became dependent.
As water poured from your palms to mine,
my color became transcendent.
The way you extended your hand to the sun,
unashamed to show your skin,
reminded my how honored I am
to be your first of kin.
Blood rushes through your soul
as thick as maple sap.
Strong and sturdy you stand there;
a steady hand for my fingers to wrap.
Your veins run through the ground,
intertwining with the roots of grass,
but your strength shows nothing of intimidation,
for you carry a sense of pride and class.
You stand proudly on your stage,
a place for the entirety of the world to see,
yet you always seem to remain
in a constant state of modesty.
“You before me,”
is the mentality you maintain.
You let everyone admire your beauty
when there is nothing for you to gain.
You were anything but judgemental
as I climbed up into your arms,
soaking in the tears that strayed,
protecting me from harm.
Oh! how you shielded me
with your impenetrable cage,
plastered like a dome around me,
there was little you couldn’t assuage.
But as limbs become severed
and hearts are broken,
I’ll always remember how you love me,
how your arms will be wide open.
Alas, little lasts forever,
and one grows to be old,
but remain hopeful, my mother,
a new story begins to unfold.
Seedlings of new life
have planted themselves in the earth,
carrying on a legacy;
a chance of redemption and rebirth.
Storms run through our lives
and leaves fall astray,
please hold in your heart
I will never be far away.
For your love is like a fruitful tree
rising towards the sky.
Afterall, there are some miracles
even nature cannot defy
