rejectomorph | Still no Rain

Only a few hours of intermittent mist, and the sky cleared. No rain. At least it is now cool enough to wear fuzzy cotton shirts again. I've always enjoyed fuzzy cotton shirts with fake tartan patterns. I'm wearing one now, in dusky greys and blues and light browns. All very heathery. Even without the rain, it is nice to have the heat of Summer in the past. Yesterday, I noticed a bit of red coming into the dogwood leaves. The pines are sporting many clusters of golden brown needles, which flush a coppery red in the early or late sunlight. The wind has cast many of them into the streets, and soon there will be golden paths of them to tread. They make a most satisfying crunch underfoot. I am eagerly anticipating the aroma of pumpkin pies baking, and the scent of mulled cider. Sweet spices are the perfect accompaniment for Autumn weather. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice; they lend an exotic, tropical fragrance to the chilly days of turning and falling leaves.

And now, in celebration of Autumn, some Chinese verse:

LANDSCAPE

by Tu Fu

Clear autumn opens endlessly away.
Early shadows deepening, distant
Waters empty into flawless sky.
A lone city lies lost in fog. Few

Enough leaves, and wind scattering
More, the sun sets over remote peaks.
A lone crane returning. . . . Why so late?
Crows already glut the woods with night.

translated by David Hinton

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