Halloween cloudburst—

a field mouse burrows down deep

in the dead man’s shoe.

Sisters

Deepening autumn—

two sisters bring fresh flowers

to their father’s grave.

Sutra

Surely a sutra

in praise of fallen oak leaves

is written somewhere.

Deepening autumn—

the water in the dog dish

wears a skin of ice.

A country preacher

excoriates the Druids

and jack-o’-lanterns.

Even during rain

the front-porch jack-o’-lantern

wears a coat of dust.

I still have the key

to a house I used to own

fifty years ago.

A crow sits atop

my daughter’s jack-o’-lantern,

warning me away.

Autumn afternoon—

will you be heading south soon,

little brown sparrow?

A crow interrupts,

as I read the sacred text,

with his take on things.