Creative Writing Commons^™

Autumn’S Fragrant Afterthought, Suzanne Stewart

The Goose

This creative nonfiction essay is an excerpt from a book length study that I have recently completed on the seasons. My manuscript was inspired by the Medieval Book of Hours, particularly its Labours of the Months calendar. This essay is a portrait of November. My setting is northeastern Nova Scotia, where the Medieval model of agrarian labour is still remarkably preserved. The essay is also a reflection on time: the rhythmic, seasonal flow that counters the accelerated pace of modern, urbanized life.