AUTUMN

When the rain comes

The wash all summer’s dust

From the world, erasing

The heat from our memory

Drop by delicious drop.

Autumn will now reside

Overhead, all around,

And all the leaves will change

Just because they have to,

Our shortened days progress

Toward Halloween

When children crave freedom

Of dark streets and costumes

And laughter and candy.

And then we all turn our

Attnetion to winter,

No longer happy with

Autumn and its rainbows,

Looking, instead, for white

Of winter’s veil of cold days

And we begin desiring

Longer daysthat bring spring.