Wild South Hill

   we watch the
weather roll
      over this hill;

we see mists 
   slide down 
      towards us,

      sometimes
bringing snow.

we run a tab
with nature,
      fools if we 
   forget this.

   when we are 
least prepared, 
      perhaps; it 
will come due.

   mists and clouds
      obscure the
hilltop in autumn.

snow, in winter
   reminds us
we don't go
      up these
hills so well.

these are our
   autumn days.
   it isn't over;
      the view is
fine, from here.

Caribbean Rain

Caribbean Rain

last time was exotic
tile roofs waiting
in early morning rain.

maybe it was here
we saw pelicans,
marine iguanas,

rain, tropical rain.

looking through
glass, we see a
certain welcome

a welcome
of a certain kind.
rains taper off.

rain, tropical rain

peaceful warm rain 
does not alarm
in any way

instead, it soothes.
(been wet before
and always dried)

BW Tree

BW Tree

   looking lonely
   on a hillside,
black on white
      is all we see

under blackened 
      branches i see
   no distant stars

   even there we
      crave light,
      we are 
night-blind

even in daylight
      we do not
   see so well

      from here,
it looks like
   scenery of 
   some kind

these days, it
      seems so 
hard to find

   good scenery,
a distant hillside
and a black tree...

Leaf on Asphalt

Leaf on Asphalt

   (only a fallen
      leaf, a thing
of little value)

      i cannot say
what meaning
there could be.

how important
      is anything
i have to say?

      does anything 
we think count
   as important?

   can we ever
   be beautiful
      as a leaf?

   (only a fallen
      leaf, a thing
of little value)

Leaves and Grass

Leaves and Grass

      today is 
   a new thing
warmer than 
      i thought
it would be.
 
   brighter, no rain
fireworks celebrate
something i forget.

we look for rain
      when we are 
   so parched
   as this our 
tired earth,

   a fallen leaf  
      in grass,
an old friend 
(we loved) 
      who now
   is fallen, fallen leaf
(unforgotten now)

when we are gone,
   who will take up
   our memories?

   bright stories
      capture all
possibilities.

sadly, light fades
   (it will return)
   and darkness
covers everything.
      we sleep

Autumnal

Autumnal

   this time of year
our world begins
      to chill,

   so we wonder
why we're here
      as light 
   grows dim

and air gets cold
      but not too
   cold to breathe

   today, october,
      colours
   start to fade

except for trees
      which go to
   red and golden

   (a million leaves
have lost their green
      and changed)

   this time, this
      change (is a 
beautiful thing)

it decorates our 
   cooling world 
and cheers us
      once again.

Blackened Barn

Blackened Barn

      roasting in 
   hot sunshine, 
hundreds of years,

it can't share 
      its stories
the laughter 
   and the tears,

beautiful wood
colours, burned
      to black,

   no reason to
      stand tall,
no purpose
   any more...

      the old black
buildings lean,
   falling slowly,

      rotting 
      wooden 
foundations
   crumble 
      to dust

      any nails
   that may 
   be found
turn slowly 
      into rust.

   still something
there appeals to us.
      hope that
things went well,

sometimes, there
might be stories
   but no-one's 
      left to tell.

Immobile

Immobile

      red berries
cannot speak
   you say?

      they tell
   a story
   anyways.

   no wind whistles
through the trees.
a hot sun brought
   us to our knees.

      but that was then
   and this we know.
these bright red berries
      seem to glow.

nights are cool and 
      will be cold,
   soon snow will 
cover all the roads

      red berries 
cannot speak
      you say?

   they tell 
      a story 
anyways.

Autumn Maple

colours like these,
      i'd like to be,
if i could choose.

   colours like these
      i could not wear,
shirt or even shoes.

   cheerful like a
      little bird, 
singing in a tree.

      colours say
   or seem to say
magic words to me,

i wait for autumn
   every year to see
such coloured trees

   winter, spring and
summer too, i endure
to see trees like these

and every season,
      and each day,
   the weather

      seems to have
a say, in every
   thing we do.

Red October Berries

      some fine 
   afternoon
i may confess.

uneaten berries
      do not tempt.
until i see a little

   bird eat these
       and not die
   i won't touch.


   not far away
i saw a viper
   surrounded

by chattering
      people, all
the way around!

      it had no escape.
   i crouched nearby
and made a photo.

oh, see how smart
      i am, shooting
   from feet away!


      some fine
   afternoon
i may confess.

uneaten berries
      do not tempt.
until i see a little

   bird eat these
      and not die
   i won't touch.