“Lonely, Limping, Buried under broken leaves”
“Perpetual pines in pale sunset: Indifferent, Deserted, Cold”
“A vision of the end from the rooftops of now,”
“Careless, invading browns covering over the gold”
“Shivering last leaves holding to the ancient oak”
“Dizzy raindrops, a patch of blue, a fleeting rainbow”
“A dancing yellow ending quietly in the fireplace”
“Raging restless wind pushing against the window”
“Tons of acorn waiting to be cracked” interject the squirrels.
Parachuting leaves agree chattering and gliding down:
“How about forests of red blooming in one ‘autumn sunset’?”
“And all the dancing gold mingling bravely with brown?”
“How about the explosion of coppers imbued with longing?” I add
“The ravishing reds alive and glowing with desire?”
“Dancing around a shy tormented willow”
“Real red Indians celebrating around a fire.”
“Next to the few pines insisting on the supremacy of green”
“How about the shades of bright yellow I didn’t know existed”
“All the purples and maroons that refused to be described”
“Now bursting into the laughter that had quietly persisted”
Sitting silent, looking absent, feeling down
Dusty yellow, lifeless gray, fading brown
Blushing purple, golden yellow, dancing green
Touching gentle, talking lucid, feeling serene
November 12, 2000