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Victor Maddalena

October

Autumn was a time to prepare. Harvesting and preserving, making final repairs and settling the animals in the shelter of the barn. We have enough memories of summer to carry us through the long months of winter.
Father now has time after supper to poke at the fire in the stove and lay on the couch, smoke his pipe and read. He watches the smoke leave his pursed lips and curl to the ceiling, guided in his thoughts by the gentle flutter of flame and the tick, tick, tick of the clock on the mantle. Mother knits patiently, humming, content with her own company. The stars of Orion slowly rise above the southern horizon in the late evenings. At daybreak the fading honks of Canada Geese bid autumn, and us, good-bye.

The squirrel sits
…in his nest
filled with acorns