She Sheds Her Clothes Again

 
Green leaves begin their dying now

a few last bursts of summer's fling

before the chill nights ring the bell

and usher in the fall.

This night, the moon will rise 

a full and a luscious orange globe

above the tree tops you can see her

ablaze like Aztec gold.

The Hunter's Moon, they call her

at the Autumn's Equinox

heralding earth's proclivity

to shed her clothes.

The leaves will grow heavy

when the rains come

and they will come hard they say this year

and merciless for awhile until

the Sun decides to shine again and bring

the great north winds along to whistle.

Together they will spin their palette

splashing magic colors twirling

floating feathered leaves to cover

grass and moss and once again

the earth renews.

Joanne Cucinello 2012