Autumn Now

AUTUMN NOW

ON LEARNING HE HAD LYMPHOMA

I AM MORE IN TUNE WITH AUTUMN NOW

I HAVE FELT WINTER'S FIRST CHILL

AND COULD NOT GET WARM

BUT I AM MORE IN TUNE WITH AUTUMN NOW

I HAVE WONDERED AT THE MARVEL OF THE LEAVES

AT THE BEAUTY OF THEIR PASSING

AND THEIR RELUCTANCE TO LET GO

RELUCTANT TO LEAVE THOSE THEY CARE ABOUT

BECAUSE I LOVE

AND AM LOVED

THEREBY SHARING IN THE DIVINITY

AND IN FACING THE DIVINITY

KNOW

THAT NOT EVERY DAY WAS PERFECT

EVERY DAY

WEEK

MONTH

YEAR

EVERY PAGE

CHAPTER

BOOK

EVERY I NOT DOTTED

EVERY T NOT CROSSED

AND WHEN DONE

NOT DONE WELL

WINTER THOUGHTS

WINTER THOUGHTS

BUT I AM IN TUNE WITH AUTUMN NOW

I ASK THE PAST FOR FORGIVENESS

TO LET ME LAY MY BURDEN DOWN

KNOWING THAT FORGIVENESS

IS ALSO REQUIRED OF ME

IF I WOULD LAY MY BURDEN DOWN

BUT THE DAYS OF AUTUMN ARE NOT OVER

OH THAT I COULD MAKE MY AUTUMN BEAUTIFUL

TO CLING TENACIOUSLY TO THE TREE

NEITHER WILLING DEPARTURE

IN MIND OR BODY

OR THE LEAVING OF LOVED ONES

UNTIL CALLED BY THAT GREAT SUMMONS

TO BEGIN

THAT PEACEFUL

NOSTALGIC

ACCEPTING

JOURNEY HOME

BUT

AS FOR NOW

I AM MORE IN TUNE WITH AUTUMN NOW

AND THERE IS SERENITY IN MY SOUL

FRANK A VOLLMER