He saw the powerlines
through the tattered curtains that covered the windows
He saw natural light spilling through the torn shades,
ending in abstraction on the hardwood floor

He watched the bicycle riders;
each individual’s hair was blown at a sharp backwards angle
He watched their gazes meet his,
glancing away as they stumbled upon eye contact

He realized the trees lose their leaves,
and with increased rapidity, they fall before his eyes
He realized the trees had grown as all things must,

Though the change s still startled him

Leaving coffee to boil on the stove,
he left his home briefly to interact
with his surroundings and neighbors
with nature and man
and to return momentarily with the newspaper