This Autumn Day

This autumn day’s spacious wrapping —
an airy nest of wide reaching branches, 
a lookout for viewing the beautiful 
procession of death.

Who will be the first to go? 
The elder, leaves barely holding on
soon to be a skeleton of itself?
The burning bush bleeds a
puddle of scarlet,
The Dogwood flushed in viewing.

Each takes its turn in this mild
tenuous instant between 
the severities to come.
Then the tender breeze …

The torch of Maximillian sunflowers 
dims, electric blue statice prostrates,
while lumens of redbud leaves
drop as fallen stars.

This place, this day and I are lovers,
engaged in a last glance.