October Afternoon

Here,
Midst all circling arcs,
Surrounded by such upright stand of fir,
Upon this round of rock,
Softened by parched carpet:
                                  green-gold mosses,
                                  straw-gold grasses,
                                  abiding 'til the rains revive them,
Below clear bluewhite heaven,
as solar orb, swung low to right,
                                  casts splintered rays
and fallen from past winter's tempest,
                                  roots exposed,
peeling trunk of old arbutus
                                  sprouts green shoots,
                                  reaching up,
                                  climbing for the blue.

This place reclines on afternoon,
punctuated by the raven's honk,
                                 and distant treefrog's croak
Sunlight paints in ochre hues
                                 the fir-top cones
                                 now nodding on slight breeze.

I, too, abide,
                                 thought dispersed,
just breathing this
Exquisite autumn air.

Thetis Park