You. Me. Leaves............................21

Sun is yellow snail shell fragile
light spiralling
searching feelers touch warm

my heart crossing
with a track of rainbows

The same as me, Summer sensies
Winter's coming
crushing hush.

Walking through cool pillared churches
each leaf which had been
so surely growing green, wavers,
shot with yellow
whispers doubts.

I crunch fresh beech mast under foot
while, high in sky's vast fastness
birds amass,
all wings and shrilling throats -
swirling roll calls of flight.

Longing to belong
a song of leaving fills my mind,
though I'll stay behind, unthronged
just in silence swallowed.

Smoke's threat, cobweb soft
hangs in the air, catching breath:
burning evidence
of the turning year.

Are you thaw-drawing fire
into where I left you cold?
I recall your mouth,
the huff of half laugh you made.
Were you telling the truth
when you said you got my jokes?

Last of the blackberries,
cauldron dark, their musty sweetness tempts from arching briar
cages at field's edge.

Mum used to say
they were witches' fruit this late;
I pick one,
am thorn hurt:
lick quickforming blood from my fingers,
wonder if I'll sleep forever.

Loose over sere grass haze
thisteldown trusts
every kissing breeze.

I miss you, I miss you.

Flowers, bright
with the desperate gaiety
of balls held on battle's eve
lure unfussy bees
as butterflies
dance.

This is my last chance:
I feel it slip like Summer
through my fingertips.
Next Spring new fruit will be set, ripen,
but I am unsexed
without you