leaves sweep songs with rustled breeze
of stalks\' last tassled summer stand
before autumn\'s alchemy bedecks
new color and whisper sounds
nearby, coy Jomeokee attends
regal blasé hides blue mountain grin
near two months assurance before
her own tartan frock of time\'s turning
hunkered close to clay, bees protest invasion
their thick shade, tossed and plundered
by nimble pickers, orange-stained,
and careful of dainty threads and flower
sings soft-plucked snap of slender pods
wrested from birth shrubs to thud-
bucket percussion, as rows below
another toils louder bass drums
careful toss of heavy fruit
light-ripened luscious; her red and yellow hues
almost summer ghosts, joining ranks of others
that lay perishing in early season rows
yet harvest\'s hope is just beyond
as skyward crows caw toward pond
September\'s tendriled promise clusters
cloistered in pregnant arbors
awaits sun\'s kiss to blush her ripe
slip-skinned southern jewels
to gold-green, bronze, and purpled blues
scuppernong and muscadine
still, in the now of August
red laborers from hours long leaning rise
in sweat, but for God\'s stirring finger
survey blessings of small resurrections
in cakes of Adam\'s clay, baptized