Last day of the month—
 
rain washes the grit and grime
 
from my neighbor’s roof.

 
 
 

As autumn winds down,
 
my neighbor scoops pine needles
 
from his rain gutters.

 
 
 

Unexpected rain—
 
my neighbor’s giggling children
 
stomp through some puddles.

 
 
 

September twilight—
 
the dog at my neighbor’s house
 
barks incessantly.

 
 

My next-door neighbor
 
never deadheads his roses—
 
petals fall like snow.

 
 

At my neighbor’s house
 
weeds outpace the marigolds—
 
prodigal summer.

 
 
 

On Valentine’s Day
 
a crow in my neighbor’s oak
 
croaks out sweet nothings.

 
 
 

A stiff autumn breeze
 
drives leaves from neighboring trees
 
into my backyard.

 
 
 

Autumn afternoon—
 
my neighbor’s cigarette smoke
 
drifts across my fence.

 
 
 

“The school bus is here!”
 
my neighbor calls to her son—
 
summer slips away.