September

September is a metaphor

days grow shorter

leaves take on colors

winter’s cold corpse

coming to blanket the land

the calendar heads into

the home stretch—

our thoughts turn to

mortality—it’s metaphors 

all the way down

But metaphors stay true

though September is 

a time of dancing and loving

the days to December

are precious and few 

September’s days are golden

and warm—days for 

feeling and holding

and not letting go

(c) Phil Hefner 8/15/2022