Summer slowly fades

gives up duly earned light,

finds her way to Autumn --

School begins its hours of

young sons confined to desks,

Husbands threaten to leave

in the restless evenings of delayed sunset dusk

Mothers linger beneath apple trees

windswept Galas, Gravenstein and Ladies

land in apron pockets

Leaves fall with dreams of

happy home companion woodstove cooler nights.