Gentle rain falls
From a flat, muted gray sky
To cool the red, gold, brown
Fiery autumn tree tops
And shed circles of brilliant leaves
Around their bases
Light, crisp wind blows them
In handfuls
Onto the slick slate shingle roof
Of a brick cape cottage
Nestled in the woods
Surrounded by the
Bright symphony of autumn colors,
It is dressed in dense ivy,
Its black shutters made glossy by the rain
A trail of cotton candy smoke
Wafts from the chimney and
Perfumes the woods
Inside, the smell of wool and
Sweet, burning wood wafts and mingles
From room to room
Dancing with the mellow scent of
Old books and warmth of spices
You are buried in an overstuffed chair
Under a chunky cable-knit afghan blanket
Next to a crackling woodstove
And a window that the rain taps
Lightly against
With a book pulled up to your face
Filling your nose with old book smell
You nod off to the
Melody of fall
11/2016