The autumn sun hangs rusting in the liquid sky

Its light dust falling on the trees below,

Melting the green of summer into shades of russet, red and gold.

The crimson clouds drip fire on the Pin Oaks and Sugar Maples

Burning up the beauty of another summer gone skipping into memory.

The old woman sits mumbling in her bed,

White stubble where the white-gold locks of childhood once floated on the running wind.

Her teeth are gone. Her gums are pink.

Her tongue is thick with praise and glory.

It goes so fast.

So fast the passing of each breath

So fast each spring and fall,

The once long winters and the summers so thick with heat and lethargy

Each breath so short

Each breath so precious

Who knew?

Now, she sits in wonder at a lifetime passed

Full of wonder

Full of memory

Looking back one last time

Seeing glory

Seeing beauty burning in her eyes one last time

Oh, the breath

One more, just one

One to say, “Nice life, nice life, nice life”

One for what is gone

One for what is now

Just this one

To carry me away...