late after noon

 late after noon

and now a fading afternoon

darkens into raining heavier see

the shrubs the trees in darkling swoon

october’s leaves dead upon a midden’s final flee

mellowing the shine of a chilled harvest moon

and by pattering increasing will for ever be

that very last leaf said to be falling soon

and soon from frosts in bedding flee

although it seems so far away that bloom

that ice upon the windows frosted tree

as now in this afternoon’s fetid room

we sleep the sleep of a desiccated bee

window halted in a last mid buzz boom

settling as thoughts that once were free

to zoom no more into autumn’s gloom 

for all in all it is as it should be 

late in this long year’s tiered cemetery