Autumn knocks on Season’s door

impatient to settle in

Summer packs his bags in annoyance

-not even a decent check out time!

After all that warmth

After all that sunshine

After setting the stage for birdsong

After luscious green carpets

After copious doses of Vitamin D

-he and Sun are asked to leave

Just like that!

Sun checked out an hour ago

so Summer walks through Season’s door alone

-passing a grinning Autumn

“Enjoy it while it lasts” Summer smiles sweetly, “Winter is coming!”

Autumn’s face drops and she

hurries inside- casting furtive glances behind her

Sending reassuring cooling winds through her window

(on a world too sad to care)

she hums a comforting tune to herself as she readies her orange and brown palette

-her colours for old leaves, curtains and carpets on a now decaying earth

And she shivers when she remembers that Winter with his sharpened claws- isn’t far behind

©Vivian Zems

Real Toads– Earth Grief