Autumn Dancer

It is all falling together.

The haze receding like the

crisp autumn weather

peeling open the night shade

Revealing the glow of goldenrod aspens

and the spaciousness of their crunchy floor

where dew turns to frost in the morning

framing the lining of my muddy footprint outside my garage.

And I knew that I was occupying

this precise space in time

as if tea leaves told me to

slow down my pace to stay a while

and learn from these particular

aspen leaves swaying in this breeze,

reminding me to dance in step

while rooting here for a spell.

Because you can’t twirl without

a focal point, nor root yourself

without grounding yourself in time.

I had moved too fast through the summer,

Making my forehead sweat in the

beating of the sun.

Stay and sway, the leaves beckoned,

and I accepted their invitation

with a slight bow and prayer.