Sounds of Autumn Color

'Beyond the counting sun....' - Peter Taylor

The leaves that once were lush with spring

assume their fall dimension.

You witness the progression

from curling lemon green to startling red,

cajoling gold, shy russet, bold maroon.

You close your eyes to hear, uncut, uncounted

colors calling down the stalling year.

With the ear's eye you find

scarlet in the robin's warning "plik,"

burnt sienna in the fox's whine,

puce in the crickets' returning metronome.

Glistening, the leaves wear their reason.

Down autumnal scales, magenta's voice

intones its sudden sun-threaded advice:

Let color's sound spill over you, draw you deep

into this listening season.