I walked along a wide cool street
As the sun was rising
Yawning beams of light above the rooftops
Crisp leaves skittered past my feet
Flecks of gold horizon
Dewdrops perched on twigs in glassy drops
I felt the bite of autumn’s chill
Riding cloud wings in
Chasing off the lingering asphalt heat
Brittle scents of dried things spilled
Like syrup on my skin
Mixed with earthy mums and pumpkins sweet
I heard the honking call of geese
In V-shapes through the sky
Towboat fleets escorting winter here
While squirrels leapt through turning trees
To bury nuts nearby
And build warm burrows to sleep out the year
