Valley Views

the sky rains down on the valley and

she welcomes it with open arms as

the moisture turns the leaves brighter

before they come tumbling down;

trees of regret stand close together since

they never experience the change and

mother has seemed to turn her back on them

as they weep away their shame in silence;

summer rabbits have gone to ground early

leaving the cats alone to torment themselves

after eating their body weight from our

summer gardens no longer present...

the ground tilled over and waiting;

stills of illegal beverages work overtime

their aromas ride the currents of the wind

leaving the locals all intoxicated as they

mend the backroads used for deliveries;

bradford pears, slim in their appearances

form walls of contentment around the homes

of their guardians hoping the favor will be

returned in the fall when their leaves disappear;

morning prayers are offered by the "born agains"

whose belief in something greater than themselves

has become fashionable only on sundays when

everyone else is sleeping off the night befofre;

the sky rains down her life giving treasures

the valley responds as if receiving the prodigal son,

cherishing the moment while expecting more

but shelves in the grocery stores are empty as

many residents here no longer want to work.

6 October 2021