It is safe for certain dreams
To so far rest unrealized.
Other Winters in the mountains,
other Springs for finding lovers,
other Summers romping with the bears.
There is this Autumn,
the leaves all fell
and a cold gloom has drifted
in with the scintillas of snowflake,
a gloom who feigns ignorance
of the many future's seasons --
but the frozen twig tips
are apparent to the scrutinous eye:
cardinals and blue jays
are somewhere safely south.