My bags are packed; reservations made
For my September journey back home
I still marvel at the golden wheat fields
The color of honey fresh from the comb



The country air is different somehow
With an atmosphere calm and serene
Leaves of gold and red and orange and brown
Trees that still have traces of green



The crops have all been harvested now
Jars of jams and jellies line the shelves
Rows and rows of fruits and vegetables
Always taste better when we can them ourselves



Shocks of fodder dot the now-barren cornfields
Bright orange pumpkins peek from hiding places
Smoke wafts from the chimney after sundown
Chrysanthemums resemble delicate laces



When supper is over and the dishes are done
String music permeates the cool night air
Young and old gather on the front porch to sing
As gospel melodies ring glorious there



God has created a magnificent autumn landscape
Reminiscent of blankets of orange, red and gold
All too soon, the horizon will be transformed
Into a featherbed of white from winter's cold



Kathleen McCoy Eldridge©
September 19, 2008
All Rights Reserved