November

The trees are naked in November sun,
Shed leaves are dry and clatter through the street;
Cool browns, dull greys, some golds but only one
Bright hue relieves the muted palette. Sweet,
The year is ending. Dormancy prevails.
Yet deep inside each thing is closely held
That which against all chills' attacking fails.
Not death but strength tones down the colors. Quelled,
Then, should be any talk of loss, ennui
Or sadness. Beauty sometimes takes on stark,
Surprising forms if one has eyes to see.
It's there throughout these days, e'en in the dark.
Take time today; go outside and admire
The bold tenacity that guards the fire.

BONUS SONNET: In Which I Long To Be Outdoors All The Time In Autumn

It cannot be the smell of slow, cold death,
That drives me e'er outdoors this time of year
To exercise and draw in one deep breath
And then another, can it? Yet I fear
Sometimes that my deep love of Fall's just that:
A love affair with all that does decay,
Dry up, fall off, freeze, rot and then go splat,
Or just detach and gently blow away.
But summer's sun pins me down like a bug,
It burns my bare skin, gives me headaches, brings
Unwanted gawkers out who'll see me. Ugh.
Now as it wanes I think not of those things,
Just climb aboard my bike, relish the chill
And see how quickly I can climb that hill.

BONUS SONNET Riding Beneath Two Skies

I left the office, stood in pouring rain.

Ahead of me those dark, forbidding skies

Loomed angry, as though I had caused the pain

That leaked from all those clouds into my eyes.

Behind me, though, as I pulled far away

Out of the shadow of the building there

Was perfect blue and sunshine. I did stay,

Admiring the demarcation where

The two skies met, a moment, then turned on

To Yellowstone Ave, already soaked through,

Hair plastered to my face and eyebrows drawn

In concentration. All I sought was to

Turn east onto the Greenway and to see

The rainbow that would show my path to me.

Sonnet For Josh And Sarah Kelly, On The Occasion Of Their Wedding

At Vedauwoo I watched, before the storm,

Beneath the shadow of enormous rocks,

Amidst the scent of pines and in the warm

Light of the sun sound of calling flocks

Of birds and of rock climbers, as my friends

Sipped water, layered sand and shared a gaze

Presaging a long trip that never ends.

It's evening now; they're drenched and in a daze:

The thunder pealed, the clouds cut loose with rain

And hail as they wrapped up their promises.

Two families rejoiced well in their gain.

Now he is hers as well as she is his.

True to each other, true too to themselves,

And ever merry as befits two elves.

In Which I Enjoy My Easily Amused Birdie Brain

American Tree Sparrows like to hang

Around the cheap tube feeder just outside

My window, and they, too, like to harangue

Me when the feeder's empty, though they hide

When I come out to fill it. Once a day

At least, I find they've eaten all, or spilled

The seed I've  poured inside it. I obey

Their shrill demands, because I'm really thrilled

To watch them so cavort where I can see

Them at their birdie doings all day long.

I know the show they put on's not for me

Expressly, but I ask you, what is wrong

With staring out my window, oh, for hours?

When spring comes then I'll also watch the flow'rs.