Petrichor, fall’s denouement, presages
El Niño and our holiday eve’s peeling bells.
The hindsight on a pyrrhic year, reflecting
riparian beauty amid harsh new histories.
And then I read, “write as if you were
talking to your friends.”
I am not sure why
yellow leaves make me smile
nor why rainbows surprise me.
Why it hails and how that differs from snow
always baffled me in first grade,
but my fourth grade teacher,
Mr. Hanson, taught me about weather.
Now I just smile in awe.
I often feel that way at this time of year–
in awe.
The wood stove warmth and our Siamese
Spice curled up nearby also
remind me that my favorite season
has arrived–
just in time for Christmas.
Word Play 