Fall Mood

by Sharon Scholl

Image credit: Sergey N on Unsplash

I forget what silence feels like

until I step outside into a breathless

moment when wind pauses

at the frayed edge of an afternoon.

October, and the birds have flown,

cicadas are dug in for winter,

and frogs lie motionless in mud beds.

An ochre sun sinks silently

into shortening days that herald

the long stasis of winter sleep.

Though brief as the space between

sighs, I still find moments to relish

the quiet company of clouds.

***

Sharon Scholl

Sharon Scholl is a retired college teacher who convenes a poetry critique group and maintains a website (freeprintmusic.com) of original music and poetry for small, liberal churches.  Her poetry chapbooks, Seasons, Remains, Evensong, are available via Amazon Books.  Her poems are current in Third Wednesday and The Bluebird Word.