The heat has slowly withdrawn

Returning to the sun’s heart

Resting in tranquility

Autumn’s arrival graced with rain wind beauty

Brown red golden hues

Leaves cling tentatively to branches

Each awaiting their destined turn

To casually drift, float to the ground…

This season reflects-mirrors my age!

“Will you still love me?

Will you still need me?

When I’m 64 “

Beatles lyrics so real, so apt…

My autumn years-no need to fear

What others think of me

Hair slowly turning grey

Yet my heart, my mind full of colour

Still passionate-a would be lover

But only in my dreams…

Holding hands strolling through the park 

Just before dusk

Returning to the warmth of home

Drinking tea-Alcohol free these days!

Realising this is the time of true enlightenment

Observing the crazy re-writing of history

Civilization never really happened!

Oh! Well time to visit Soho

Where I always feel so comfortable

Listening to my inner antique clock ticking

I have never fitted in, more so these days…

The full harvest moon shines

I am a 20^th century man

Observing the long march

Led by weak men who bang the drum

Proclaiming equality liberty freedom

But someone has to pay the ferryman…

What will autumn be 100 years hence?

Just charcoal drawings of trees, monochrome faces

Forbidden conversations-Forbidden places

A world devoid of critical thinking

Full of the virtuous, sinless, soulless, hopeless

Not a place for the poet or artist…

Inverted racism fascism returning with a vengeance

Autumn with its decaying majesty

Long nights await

Comfort found in each others arms

Stalingrad 2023

Slowly awaiting winter

That great leveller of invading armies…

Yet there is hope

Spring will eventually return 

With it new life

Ending the silence

Although wise men, smart women

Will remain quiet-such is their wisdom

Writing novels poems painting pictures in secret

That nobody will ever read or see………

M C Bolton Autumn 2023