Autumn

Today I turned on my heat

Just a small flick of a button

And it was suddenly autumn

More than fall,

That happened when I

Turned off the air conditioning

But autumn

When a cool equinox occurs

And Saint Martin no longer smiles

In sunny warmth

Today I turned on my heat

The whispered tepidity

Stirred still green leaves

That jumped off branches

Too soon

In stead of waiting on new color

That would allow them to drift

Gently into mis-organized leaves

On the browning grass

Today I turned on my heat

The solemnity of change

Not loss on my body

My ankles need socks

They decry the cottons of summer

And long for argyles and woolens

I unpack flannels

And a bevy of long sleeve shirts

Today I turned on my heat

And the weight of a year

Fell across my shoulders

Autumn has brought me back

To the season of wearing socks to bed

And although I turned on my heat

It’s your warmth that I need