autumn garden

thinking of autumn

autumn garden

 

the pain and joy

of turning to death

and freshening to birth

flooded with agonizing relief

are one and the same

i may see you in passing -

you a withering, yellowing summer squash

i a still-too-tough-to-eat persimmon

my wintry heart cannot yet open -

will not -

it can only look on from above

as your heart, sickeningly ripe, melts away

into the fertile soil