Zelda Davidson (Part One)

Zelda was an incredible woman. When I think of poets in the family, she stands foremost. Her passion for creation was palpable and manifested through both painting and the written word. She truly was an artist.

More often than not, she drew inspiration from the world around her. Landscapes and animals were to be found upon her canvas and graced the pages of her notebooks as well. If you’re looking to understand her love for nature, you needn’t look far. She had a love for life.

(Written in 1944) This poem is titled “Return of the Prodigal”

“After the smoke and noise of the town,

After the hurrying crowds on the street.

It’s good to be back on the farm again,

To have real earth beneath my feet.

After a summer on pavement and rail,

After small patches of close-cropped lawn,

It’s good to breath the scent of the soil.

It’s good to walk in the Autumn dawn.

It’s good to walk in the still, cool dusk,

To stretch in the freedom of field and sky,

To see the herds come in at night,

To watch a blazing sunset die.

I like Mt. Tom in his “Joseph’s Coat,”

The yellows, browns, and Autumn red

Of the frosted maples and the shivering asp

That crown his shaggy, rocky head.

I like to walk through crisp, brown stubble,

To follow the fence-line with my gun,

To flush the rainbow-throated pheasant,

Resplendent in the evening sun.

I like the sounds of the waiting cattle.

The smell of the hay in the yellow stack.

The rich, brown loam in the wake of the plows,

And the harvest piled in crib and rack.

I like the crispness of the morning air,

The easy crackle of a flaming log,

The honk of gray geese “V”ing north

Through damp cold fingers of a rising fog.

Give me Autumn away from town.

Give me the freedom of fence and lane,

The peace and strength of rich, dank soil,

And the soothing calm of country rain.”

Dedicated to the talented poet, who was loved by all.

Zelda M. Davidson:

Born on September 25th, 1922

Died on February 26th, 2014