End of the Season

Most of the leaves have fallen down - 

or been pushed off as one scientist put it recently,

by the chemical coursing through the branches.

Fallen down feels gentler.

I pause -

step away from my windy life,

unplug the phone,

to paint these dying leaves. . .

Still Standing

A single line of corn 

stands in the middle of the field along the highway.

I pull my car over and walk past the cut stalks. 

It's a sunny October morning - 

a brisk wind blowing . . .