October’s Memory

There was a time…

I had but an ant as company

Or the occasional pigeon on the windowsill

Those were my thinking partners

While others had crucifixes above beds

Paintings of saint on the walls

Some conversing with the heavens

October days…

During the fall,

Winter always hesitated

At times at the door

For he obviously felt all alone

As leaves had been falling slowly

And morning frost had been slow to come

Leaving him unable to be who he was

Just waiting in the wings

For his entrance

He retraced his steps often

As latter days of the month

Seem unwilling to give in to fall

Then…

November arrived

Reminding him that time was getting shorter

His breath became the temperature he likes

The ground began to harden

High above

Clouds thickened

With one sweeping gesture

The sky opened up

The air agreed

Winter’s premature impatience

Descended its trademark of white

Gently to the ground

Coating the streets

And park with magic

The preview of full-blown winter around the corner

October nodded

Packed up for its vacation

And wished fall’s November luck

And me…

There was truly something about leaving the first footprints in the snow

Discovery?

Evidence you exist?

Thankfulness for the ant

The pigeons

The company one can have

Or

Imagine

To stay prepared

For another endurable period of aloneness

Knowing a best friend always shows up…

Spring was just down the road a ways