It happens,
Right outside my window
Beneath my feet
Above my eyes

Maples arrive first
To the party

Owen’s river birch
opens golden arms

Young tulip poplar
yearning for above
Fourhundredeightynine butternuts
Twothousandninehundred crabapples
Sevenhundredtwentyseven chestnuts




Cut, rake, pile
The town vacuums
My neat rows
Make pickup smoother


Late burning bush
preens in sunshine
