Still Life with Five Apples
My long two-pointed ladder’s sticking through a tree
Toward heaven still,
And there’s a barrel that I didn’t fill
Beside it, and there may be two or three
Apples I didn’t pick upon some bough.
But I am done with apple-picking now.
Essence of winter sleep is on the night,
The scent of apples: I am drowsing off.
I cannot rub the strangeness from my sight
I got from looking through a pane of glass
I skimmed this morning from the drinking trough
And held against the world of hoary grass.
It melted, and I let it fall and break.
But I was well
Upon my way to sleep before it fell,
And I could tell
What form my dreaming was about to take.
Magnified apples appear and disappear,
Stem end and blossom end,
And every fleck of russet showing clear.
My instep arch not only keeps the ache,
It keeps the pressure of a ladder-round.
I feel the ladder sway as the boughs bend.
And I keep hearing from the cellar bin
The rumbling sound
Of load on load of apples coming in.
For I have had too much
Of apple-picking: I am overtired
Of the great harvest I myself desired.
There were ten thousand thousand fruit to touch,
Cherish in hand, lift down, and not let fall.
For all
That struck the earth,
No matter if not bruised or spiked with stubble,
Went surely to the cider-apple heap
As of no worth.
One can see what will trouble
This sleep of mine, whatever sleep it is.
Were he not gone,
The woodchuck could say whether it’s like his
Long sleep, as I describe its coming on,
Or just some human sleep...After Apple Picking Robert Frost
Watercolour, Acrylics, Mixed Media on Arches Not Paper 18×20
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Janis Zroback
Lois Bryan
wonderful color combination of the bright golds and rich reds!!!! Yummy!!!
Janis Zroback replied
Thank you so much Lois…very nice of you…
bevanimage
Such glorious colour and texture in this Janis – warm and very inviting! Just one question, if there are four apples, then what is the fifth red globe at the back, partly covered by a leaf?
Janis Zroback replied
It’s Five…thank you so much Bev…I’m so glad you like this one….
mingtees
That’s lovely. Now i want to eat an apple.
Janis Zroback replied
Thank you so much Amy…well they are good for you…eat one for me, as I can’t eat raw fruit at all…
Linda Callaghan
wonderful mixed media painting Janis….are there 5 apples?? so many layers and textures in this one…now I feel like having a go at one! :-)
Janis Zroback replied
Yes it’s five…mistake in typing…I am using a lot of my decorative painting techniques these days…I am so glad I was a different type of painter first…it makes it doubly exciting to use all my skills…thank you so much Linda…
Leslie Gustafson
I don’t know how you did this, but it is fabulous!! I see 5 apples too , no? This one will be well-rewarded I think!
Janis Zroback replied
Yes it’s five apples…typo…I’m really pleased you like it Leslie…it contains some of my skills as a decorative painter, which I have been using a bit more in my most recent paintings…one of the things we were told should be our mantra, was “hide the tool”, so your saying that you don’t know how I did it is an affirmation that I did it right…lol…thanks so much…
Janis Zroback
Leslie Gustafson
Yes! whatever you did here;-), you did right!! So perfect for Fall!
Janis Zroback replied
Thanks again Leslie…
Carla Jensen
Hi! how are you doing , Janis ? Stunning painting..My Friend!! Love the colors , lighting and shadow work on this !! Has such amazing depth to it !!! Excellent work !
Janis Zroback replied
Thank you so much for the lovely compliment Carla…I am getting better slowly…
PapasGirl
yes this is good..colors,apples..arrangements great
Janis Zroback replied
Thank you so much…very nice of you to say so…
FlowersEtc
BEAUTIFUL
Oct 26,2009
Janis Zroback replied
Wonderful news Ann…thank you so much….
FlowersEtc
Your welcome :)
ega39
I love this, beautiful colors :)
Janis Zroback replied
Thank you so much. Ega..I’m so pleased you like my work…
Mui-Ling Teh
This is beautiful Janis; I love how you layered those leaves. This gives a lovely feeling of autumn harvest.
Janis Zroback replied
Thank you so much Mui-Ling…I’m glad you like it…very nice of you to say so…
Pamela Plante
Wonderful job-the colors and light are amazing!
Janis Zroback replied
What a lovely compliment Pamela!!..thank you so much..
Janis Zroback
kjgordon
this fall series is fantastic….....I love the colors and textures….......
Janis Zroback replied
Thank you so much KJ…glad you like it…
GEORGE SANDERSON
Wonderful autumnal scene, Janis The colours are superb !!!
Janis Zroback replied
Thank you so much KJ…very nice of you..
catherine walker
Fabulous..gorgeous paintiung janis.. !
Janis Zroback replied
Thank you so much Catherine…glad you like it…
catherine walker
make that “painting”..and although it’s autumn for you there..this also has a spring feel about it the sun is shining here!
Janis Zroback replied
Yes it does have a sunny feel to it…
Hidemi Tada
beautiful still life painting Janis.
Janis Zroback replied
Thank you so much Hidemi…glad you like it…
eoconnor
Hi Janis ,this is so now in southern ont.,the leaves the apples a perfect combo for a special time of year.You have captured movement and the perfect fruit of the season.
Janis Zroback replied
Well I live in southern Ont. so I am immersed in it right now…thank you so much for your lovely comment…
Alison Pearce
A beautiful piece to go with such a timeless piece of prose :)
Janis Zroback replied
Thank you so much Alison…very nice of you…
Karin Taylor
gorgeous in every way, exquisite work Janis! x
Janis Zroback replied
What a lovely compliment!!..thank you so much Karin..
eran gilad
great work, love the colors and composition
Janis Zroback replied
Thank you so much…I’m glad you like it…
Janis Zroback