sneezes bellow —

eyes itch;

nose does, too.

pollen levels

continue to irk.

ragweed not done

with me, just yet.

navy/rust rugby, comfortable cotton —

just a smidge of spandex (why? not a clue.)

oversized but I don’t mind the look

and the autumn woods are calling.

leaves littering the patio

skitter across the concrete,

they tumble and writhe

in an artificial wind

dusty mauve

of my neighbor’s hydrangeas —

a mass of glorious blooms.

might he miss this single snip,

one that adorns the desk

where I write?

late afternoon light,

racing whitecaps

to a distant shore —

the slap on the hull,

the piercing bow

young buck, in a distant wood

scraggly marigolds

& late-season dahlias,

the stonewashed flowers

gracing a faded garden