Anna Cates

Late Season Soliloquy

I’ve trod this mile 1,000 times,
and now the year is closing.
Congruous with the endless brook,
the trail and I meander—  
through naked branches a glimpse 
of graves, but I need no reminder.

Songbirds never cease to reason 
with me.  That one year Redbird…
But ah, I’ve never been a perfect
Cinderella, though, sometimes,
I fancy myself interpreting birds, 
and only a touch afraid, merging
with their song and all of nature.

yellow 
            leaf
    slowly
            falling
    autumn’s
            breadth

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About the Author

Dr. Anna Cates teaches writing, literature, and education online and has published a variety of books (poetry, fiction, and drama) through Cyberwit, Prolific Press, Red Moon Press, and wipfandstock.com. Her short form poetry collection, Love in the Time of Covid, won an Illumination Book Award. She resides in Wilmington, Ohio, with her two beautiful kitties. 

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