Fall

I want you to know
the Chinese porcelain beast
grins. The glare
in the clouds
does not light my way.

The lavender candle burns.
I listen to the radio.
Rain. The year falls
toward the dark.
Gold on the mountain.

Alders turn brown.
Wet boards. I want
you to know, the baskets
weave together. The silk
rainbow fish

hangs on my wall.
I've moved my clothes
together in the closet.
There are no blank spots
here. Ask me. Ask me how

I'm doing. Ask me
where I am. The chickadees
are in the spruce.
I feed them your sugared
cereal. I want you to know

the water in the channel
is dark and flat.
The moon, the year,
wane, accelerate.
Leaves are down

in the forest.
The falls swell. I want
you to know,
the Japanese maple
is red. Birch trees

show their bones
again. The year
is seamless.
There is no hole
where you were.

 

For an audio post of this poem, go here.