Passage

So the rain came after all, but so quietly that I barely noticed. It seemed as though the world simply became wetter and wetter until, when the clouds parted late in the afternoon, the streets glistened and the trees and lawns glittered with clear drops.

Darkness drew me out to see the gibbous moon still trailing thin veils of vapor, and I suddenly heard the first geese of autumn passing overhead, their honks faint but unmistakable. The flock must have been large as their calls continued to sound directly above for two or three minutes. The birds were too distant to be visible by the pale moonlight, but I thought I saw a few flickerings of the stars that were evidence of their wings. Now I will listen for the swans, who are bound to show up any night now. Autumn beyond a doubt. The geese say so.