Autumn Moon

The grocery shopping is done for another week, the frozen lasagna is in the oven, and the moon is, if not full, very near it and looking quite round as it clears the pine trees in the east. The thinning trees admit a bit more light now, and the light falls to the fallen leaves scattered about the brown lawn. The leaves shine a bit; the lawn remains dull. The moon does not romance the dead lawn, but the trees, yes, even their cast off leaves. It is true love the moonlight has for living things, and lately living things, and even the soil, but the best it has for the brown grass is pity.

The grass looks softer by moonlight, and seems to wrap the ground like a dim shawl, while the moonlight caresses the fallen leaves decorating it. Tomorrow the sun will be back and again reveal the grass as rough and stubbly and patchy. The sun, like a vampire, will continue to suck the grass ever dryer, until it is utterly desiccated. The fallen leaves protect what they can, giving up their own moisture to the air, and the living leaves give it what shade they still may, but only rain can save the lawn. Until it comes, the soft night provides the grass its only respite, by the cool light of the moon.


( Sunday Verse )