He's Coming

Here comes Autumn.
He is standing just over the hillside,
waiting for me.
His hair is a nest of leaves-
the color of lemons
and pumpkins
and pomegranates...
He wears a flannel shirt-
a straw hat.
And his cheeks are stained
a sweet Jonathan apple red...
His eyes are the color of midnight
and turquoise
and robin egg blue.
His perfume is sassafras
and cinnamon
and cider...
He brings gifts of wine,
woolens
and wonder.

He smiles at me
and hurries across the hillside.
We'll play and sing and dream-
Until Winter-
-(like a bully)-
comes and chases him away...