Early Autumn
A poem by Andy Ormandy
Early Autumn
By Andy Ormandy
A time of hints of leafy tints,
Golden edged ferns by force-fed cascading turns.
Warm meandering mists rise along wooded river courses,
Soon to be brim-filled with winter down-poured forces.
Now gone are the wired swallows that did chatter chicks,
About forthcoming Africa trips.
Tired hedgerows getting ready for their winter sleep, send silvered fireweed rockets on gentle breezes,
Travelling with thistledown on autumnal sneezes.
Bursting bushes heavy with orange and scarlet berries pop brightly,
Soon to be visited by birds and wee mammals twice nightly.
Whilst in the last glints of a warm summer sun,
Optimistic children still dance with bucket and spade,
Enjoying sand-castled icecream fun.
Soon to be going bonkers for conkers whilst kicking though great parky piles of russeted leaves,
Making memories long-lasting, screen-free with no feel-good thieves.
At dawn the mournful lonely curlew cry cuts through morning-rising mists,
Lamenting long-gone larger flocks, mud-stabbing, mud-dancing, creek-hidden trysts.
Equinoxed shorter days with softer rays, dappled dancing light,
Soon daytime will be night.
As we await with breathe baited on October chills,
The first skeins of geese will drift down over harvested hills.
Also soon skies filled with flocks of whirling, swirling waders,
Dancing along silvered tidelines, splishing, splashing, fancy paraders.
Summer now gone, Autumn now here,
Blankets us in warm colours and fire-side cheer.
We pull on a jumper and dig out hats, gloves and coat,
As we struggle to embrace winter and keep things afloat.
