FIRST NIGHT OF AUTUMN

Photo by S. Auberle

Autumn is a fancy woman

walking the streets tonight.

A lady whose lover has gone,

turning her dry and brittle

as that icy shriek of wind

bending once-golden grasses

down onto cold earth.

She walks and watches

the waning moon,

the fading hours of light,

weeping for that summer love

who sipped her like the finest wine,

who whirled and twirled her heart,

vowing their dance would never end.

Autumn is the woman

in gaudy red silk,

there on the street corner

under that lamp,

holding off the winter

of her days, tired

brown leaves swirling at her feet.

~ mimi