late August
and the earth
shifted under his feet
he could feel
the sunlight
change more
angular
dropping shafts
of hazy light
through the branches
the air turned
sweeter somehow
and though very still
it had the feeling
of movement
he knew
that the colors
were on their way
and the winds
of Canada
were piling up
ready to bring
the scent
of northern ice
and his heart
swelled
and remembered
what it wanted most
sitting on his front
porch thinking about
going off to Colorado
maybe there’s
a woman there
who will know
his name
maybe she
will come to meet him
in the high
mountains
he looked around
at the old familiar terrain
the dry fields and
rusting tractors
the longer he sat there
the more Colorado
was disappearing
from his life
would it still be there
if he stayed
one more autumn
maybe but
it wouldn’t be him
in that cabin
you can’t stay
on your front porch
for that