A meadow for Autumn

Forest, I lay me down to rest
upon bed of moss.

Eternal sleep immediately overtakes me
lichen kenning myself
as Rip Van Winkle
except being repurposed
as oldest living species.

 

With an estimated age of 8,600 years,

Rhizocarpon geographicum,

also referred to as the Map lichen,

is the planet's oldest lichen.

Said complex life forms
witness symbiotic partnership

of two separate organisms,

a fungus and an alga
to equinoctial metaphor

at which the sun crosses
the celestial equator,

when day and night

approximately equal length

(about September 22 and March 20).

When evening doth fall

'pon summers’ end,

a hint of splendor

bequeathed arose
firmament changed scenery

(this soon third equinox act

since new year) bellows
basses loaded and blasted

in sync with

pyrotechnic pizzazz,

while electric light orchestras

suites scored for cellos,
thus quiet riot madrigal

of multitudinous notes swirl

from bronzed leaf like fellows
dancing elliptically forsooth

greeting mother earth

with characteristic rills
brawny sons and daughters

harvest September hellos
before dawn's early light mellows.

 

Against backdrop sensational war

doth mother nature wage,
how peachy keen,
and grand to be seated

at plum lined
tree center stage
to behold colorful
capering downward
spiraling threnody
quintessential silent rage
chapter three
nature alluded to

a tome poem,
and first page

known to humans since…

way before indigenous tribes
occupied North America

such as Osage
and/or other natives,

whose keen scents foretold

the onset from flora and
fauna sings they did gauge.

Now the regimentation

of existence commandeered
by strict adherence
affianced to the clock
lest an employee arrive one second late –

her/his pay will go hickory dock
which sequestration

to the twenty first century life
analogous to men
undergoing emasculation,

whereby he may as well be a eunuch
without thick horn, where business

deals concluded as overhead

a flock of seagulls

migrate to southern climes,

which with global warming seems ad hoc

yet the multitudinous animals and plants

genetically under rubric of lifelock,
which mucking around viz industrialization

humankind doth make a mock

‘ere re: and drive many miniscule species

to take safety and shelter under a rock

totally oblivious,

those bipedal hominids haphazardly
scurry to work in order

to purchase schlock
courtesy crypto currency
redeemable at social media platforms
especially one named TikTok.

 

Thus this pre dormant season,

where one must be vigilant and tread
like angels heeding curtain call

draw wing summer to a close
with damn the torpedoes salvo,

the cacophony kaleidoscope of color
per fifty plus shades of red
forecast thee onset

of cooler temperatures

with falun gong foliage natural compost

shelter burrowing creatures,

who stash goodies

at a later time to be fed
thus each of us need be vigilant

with no misstep to tread
upon feet lightly negotiating

whereat dwells busy itty-bitty bodies

well nigh invisible to the naked eye,

yet if ground swell of organisms
once would behold

a micro/macroscopic

whirled wide web.