haikus of autumn

before dawn shatters

its lamp on the edge of the sky

grey night shimmers blue

sit in the half-light

listen to leaves rattle death

as they leap in air

wheezing school bus and

noisy garbage truck disturbs

quiet solitude

lined up side-by-side

children and olive trash cans

wait to be emptied

dry cellulose leaves

gathered up to press in books

their shadows leave stains

side-eyed crow returns

from where I don’t need to know

return is enough

10-25-21