October 31: Halloween

Halloween party.

Long walk home after dark

lit by a spectral moon.

October 30: On Trail #9

Cathedral Woods.

Crow makes sure the others know

about the intruder. 

October 29: Starling

Atop the steeple

starling aspires to music,

doesn’t quite succeed.

October 28: Ferry ride

It’s amazing—

the human capacity

for staring out to sea.

October 27: Foliage

Packing for a trip.

Maple tree in the yard

just starting to lose leaves.

October 26: Front door decor

Window box flowers

clashing with Indian corn,

Halloween pumpkin.

October 25: Inertia

Lying late in bed

Roar of heavy rain falling 

onto slick red leaves

October 24: Sick day

Afternoon rain.

Drifting in and out of sleep

alongside the cat.

October 23: Nap

Afternoon nap.

Distant flock of crows calling

up on the mountain.

October 22: Bread Loaf

Autumn poetry reading.

Fireplace crackling

with warm applause.

October 21: Sky-watching

Writers’ conference.

Watching Orion’s slow rise

over the mountain.

October 20: White River

Following the White River

to its mountain source.

Driving back in time.

October 19: Warm spell

Indian summer—

even the garter snakes 

are out on the trails.

October 18: Detour

Bridge closed.

Geese float upriver

waiting for dark.

October 17: Vultures

Vultures soaring southward—

how to watch them

and not think of death?

October 16: Fall

Imprints of the fallen

leaves on the sidewalk

Ghost season

October 15: Wind in the willow

With each gust

willow boughs reaching

across the window—

October 14: The Magic Flute

What’s not to love about a staging of Mozart’s opera “Die Zauberflote” (The Magic Flute) that features lots of colorful bird puppets flitting around Papageno the bird catcher, a giant flying goose to carry the three spirit guides, and dancing bears?

Humming aloud

music from The Magic Flute.

Field full of geese.

October 13: Signs

Woolly bear caterpillar

hustling across the road

Winter is coming

October 12: Cacophony

before the sun’s up

first crows, then a flock of geese

must you be so loud

October 11: Sumac

Deep in conversation

he still notices 

the scarlet sumac leaves.

October 10: Safe harbor

Indian summer—

schooners wrapped for winter

in a glass-smooth harbor

October 9: Holiday

No mail today.

During a pause in the rain

neighbor’s rooster crowing.

October 8: Rainy Sunday

Lost in a book.

Out in the rain crows 

making a racket.

October 7: Painted Ladies

Afternoon spent trying

to glimpse the undersides

of Painted Ladies

October 6: Harvest Moon

harvest moon
rising over bales of hay,
skeleton on the lawn

October 5: Warm spell

Car windows open.
A yellow leaf
becomes a fellow passenger.

October 4: Tempo

Indian summer.

Walking home

in time with the crickets.

October 3: Chill

Cold snap.

Turning up the heat

and the car stereo.

October 2: River, early fall

low water

the drowned forest

sees daylight again

 

 

October 1: Skunks

fall constellations

in the backyard

holes dug by skunks