Octoberfest
By Ed Keenan, Author of Nature and the Southwest

In the southwest, when summer shakes hands with autumn; the slightest hint of cooling days and nights inspires a poem.

September clings to the fading embers of summer,
   sweeping colors across the western sky.

Hot east winds spawn rebellious Santa Ana’s
    with drier days and cooler nights,

preparing the last meal on autumn leaves
    for warblers headed south.

The concert of a thunderstorm lights up the night,
    and on morning wings of flaming mist

a siren of sunrise reflecting eastbound clouds
    and bits of color on the ground,

the fallen leaves of summer singing
    a pumpkin reddish brown.

Jubilant days bring changes in October foliage,
    the threading of the first cool breeze

through pine needles and gnarled treetops,
    clearing the way for December

and hoary blossoms of midnight snow
    and a winter to remember.

For now helium clouds bump the cerulean sky,
    a stylus etching pleasure on my soul.

A flock of wild turkeys cross the rutted trail
    as October nuzzles on my face

and early in the rusty light of evening
     the core of me celebrates.

Ed Keenan © 06-05