The sun is barely warm on my skin
breeze the same
whirling around the trees
almost rigid trunks to
whippy twigs with
the last leaves dropping lazily...

One by one by one by one by one
by three

Joining the last ladybugs
flying away

Two by four by two
by one

Colors made vivid by the
too sharp light
compensating for something
warmer that it is
shadows lengthen
making simple lines into shapes
bleaching out the rest
every grain on the wood stands out
every vein on the leaf
small contrast finally true

Light and dark and light and dark discreet
from dark and light discreet combined

Breeze again wet leaves
sadly replace the pollen scent
white halfway deserted against solid blue
life halfway deserted against the white
alive but tired
follows me inside.