30

after autumn

remember I loved

the scarlet leaves

     après-midi d’automne

     je rêve de bisous

     sous la pluie

29

autumn ends

it grows darker

inside and out

28

leaves tumbling away

the gusts

already winter cold

     the wasp nest

     is hollow now

     like my autumn days

27

end of autumn

slate grey heavens

threaten rain

26

frost

black elm

red wet autumn

25

old woman

prays to autumn sky

tears of loneliness or rain

24

falcon

on the haystack

bittersweet autumn

23

observing

my nighttime wanderings

the owl and the moon

22

leaves born by wind

race the clouds

across barren fields

21

red leaves and friends

chatter

across the stone street

20

white owl bursts

into the autumn sky

which silver is the moon

19

early autumn thunder

rolls

over red hills

18

the moon

pierces autumn fog

with moonbeams of dreams

17

silent confidant

what companion more true

my silver autumn moon

     j’aimerais vivre

     où la lune est toujours blonde

     est tu es loin de moi

16

my orange harvest moon

shares the night sky

with my dreams

15

autumn afternoons

daydreaming of kisses

under golden sun

14

behind the mountain

of scarlet trees

my orange harvest moon

13

gingko trees

harvest moon

golden autumn symphony

12

yellow butterfly

admires my autumn mums

of a lesser yellow

11

memories fall

in silent rain

tears of autumn

10

familiar comforts of autumn

a map of heaven

my heart memorized

9

waving in the wind

sunshine yellow mums

welcome autumn

8

at the forest’s edge

deer friend

enjoys autumn berries

remembering

how my black dog loved

jumping in autumn leaves

7

September sun

I bathe in warmth

to carry through winter

6

autumn morning awakening

sunbeams, the smell of maple

and pumpkin spice

ruby, garnet, gold

amber, citrine, sapphire

the bright riches of autumn

5

warm light

brisk wind

September sings again

4

haunting melody floating

in fall night air

unseen coyotes following me

mes rêves rayonnants

n’étaient jamais aussi muet que

mon automne mourant

3

sunlit memories

of long ago autumns

my only treasures

2

yellow leaves tumble

through golden sunbeams

September smiles

            Chanceuse

le hululement du hibou

le vol des chauve-souris

la lueur des étoiles filantes

mille bénédictions de ce monde

que je comprends à peine

ou pas du tout

1

bright yellow leaves wave

at clear blue skies 

beloved September mornings

©Susan Zegarsky 

31

last night

of a dark October

black magic in the air

30

this year we grieve

so many of us dead

autumn of phantoms

     the ancient language slides

     off forked tongues

     night of the jinn

29

the dead whisper to me

cruel secrets

of the still living

28

one’s skin

can often be

ill fitting

     swirl of falling leaves

     don’t we

     have it all

27

the palm reader

winces

at my life line

26

forest mists

haunting memories

so many specters of autumn

25

an evil unseen

lurks in October darkness

thieving souls

     chips of bones

     and broken headstones

     grave robbing ghouls

24

there were no bodies

left whole enough

to bury

     October night sky

     all the light I see

     is already dead

     fast footsteps near

     the scarecrow

     runs

23

shadows prowl

the cool October night

ghosts of witch cats

22

shadows

of windblown leaves

all the Halloweens past

     at the devil’s crossroads

     I wait for him

     under the wolf moon

21

alone in the woods

fast footsteps

across the cabin roof

     all my bones

     have turned

     into screams

20

wind through the tombs

the quick approach

of ghouls

19

ecstatic bats

ride moonbeams

this magic October sky

18

sunny days long gone

it’s my autumn now

I am the crone

17

a chill in wind

the presence

of phantoms unseen 

16

pouring a salt circle

to keep out

the unseen

15

the trickster smiles

oops, you’ve sold

your soul

14

 the mirror

smiles back

what have I summoned?

13

mists cross the moor

rolling waves

of ghost sea

12

storm clouds, no moon

deep October dark

a devil is afoot

11

black clouds hide

October’s full moon

sinister omen

10

midnight wind whispers

a half-remembered

ghost story

9

something sinister

in autumn fog

the veil thins

8

rain on dead fields

tears for  

the dying earth

7

my ghost awaits

in the dark folds

of velvet night

6

skeletons clapping

stark bare branches

clack in the autumn wind

5

scarlet leaves fall

drops of blood bright

on dark earth

4

crows, indigo waves

swell in shadows

of October forest

3

skeleton chuckles

the light chatter

of windblown leaves

2

darkness

black as ink, pierced

by eyes of stars

1

old ouija board

spelling the shadows

into life

©Susan Zegarsky 

Coming soon

©Susan Zegarsky 

Coming soon

©Susan Zegarsky