With autumn just around the bend
on this warm late August day
worn summer leaves look near their end
as green fades and edges fray.
They prepare to end their stay.

The limbs which hold them look worn out
from burdens born through countless showers
when hard rains pelt and fierce gales shout
but usually for just a few hours
then tempests end and lose their powers.

HURRICANE

The air is heavy silent grey
no egrets statues
In the lake
today
the smell of alligators
rot and decay
float slowly towards
the eastern shore
from stagnant waters
of the Everglades
once more.

Nature stands stunned
In fearful anticipation
There is a monster in the sea
and it is coming
this way
to feed and prey.

Lost god and the elves

There was a time as a child
when elves spoke
and god was the man in the robes
at the front of the church

Christianity indoctrinated me for a while
then I tried to convert a jew
Bigotry claimed me, a lapse in thought
and I blamed a gentle Muslim for jihad

I thought and thought and thought
do non Christians go to hell?
Original sin says so,
so I dismissed that nasty idea.

I studied hard too
theology, philosophy, science.

The birds sing in courtship's display
on this, the first warm day of spring
unfortunately the wasps are out
along with fire ant mounds of clay

Flowers' perfumes drift upon the breeze
along with my true love's faint scent
whose "look" tells me to cut the grass
and then trees' pollen makes her sneeze

And walking along a clear lake's shore
where the fair ones swim and ski
I glance down at my knobby knees
then look at the girls once more