These autumn days of my life
bloom bright and warm,
a simulacrum of summer glory.
The icy cold of the wading creek
still surprises.
I deny that winter will come.
Soon colors will fade.
I Memorize each leaf,
cling to ephemeral beauty
and sniff the air for the inevitable scent of snow.
Background Photo by Autumn Mott on Unsplash
T. L. Ryder 