the calendar at war with the warmth

a hesitant Autumn

Autumn is hesitant to show herself this year:

in the lower valley, only poplar, buckeye, and sourwood trees

seem to watch the calendar and change,

despite the unseasonable warmth,

high on the mountain beech trees smolder a soft yellow,

the clear dry air lets each be a separate glow

to contrast with stubbornly green neighbors,

the mountain ash exuberantly displays clusters of seeds

with a flaming red that transfixes me into wonder,

over 6000 feet the clouds settle onto the high mountains

and curtain the views into mists of gray,

late morning sun then abruptly lifts the veil a bit

and views of distance and depth shake us into

flying out into deepening valleys and far rippling ridges,

back down in the valley, the creek is lower than I’ve ever seen it,

tawny and yellow fall leaves hover in still pools

and lightly twirl where water eases down its bed.

by Henry H. Walker

October 7, ‘16