Fond Goodbyes
And Hello, Gray Skies
Brittle air
assaults my nostrils,
crackling in my head as I inhale deeply,
savoring its crisp, clean bite.
Morning coffee
steams in the mug
balanced carefully in chilled fingers,
as I tread carefully on the lawn.
A tentative sip
spreads flavorful warmth,
Confirming the temperature is perfect
For this cold, frosted morning.
The blue sky
Will soon go gray
With winter's first storm quickly approaching.
The leaves fell and faded long ago.
Autumn leaves
And I sigh,
Expelling the fog of my warmed breath to scatter
Along with the remnants of Fall.
Distant sounds
Of morning traffic
Portend the inevitable awakening of a colder world
And I have preparations to make.
For now,
I stand still,
Fingers cupped now around the fading warmth of the mug,
Bidding winter a warm welcome.
***
Thanks for reading! As always, clicking that heart is appreciated, and comments are appreciated tenfold!
Created for Vocal's "The Sound of First Frost Challenge:
About the Creator
Dana Crandell
Dad, Stepdad, Grandpa, Husband, lover of Nature and dogs.
Poet, Writer, Editor, Photographer, Artist
My poetry collection: Life, Love & Ludicrosity
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One Unchecked Box
"Republished" because it was the only way to add the embed for the newly recorded audio version of this story due to the Top Story badge. Plus it serves as a nice, informal announcement of the podcast's revival for another season (go subscribe!):
By Stephen A. Roddewig5 days ago in Fiction
Comments (7)
This was soooo beautiful. My favourite was the warmth from the coffee mug. Loved your poem! Also, there's a tiny mistake. You've repeated the word "the" in this sentence: "Expelling the the fog of my warmed breath to scatter"
Well done, Dana <3 Good luck on the challenge, <3
Nice entry into the challenge, Dana! Unfortunately, here in New York, it's already quite chilly.
This gives me the chills, in a good way. I can’t wait for winter to come
Excellent Dana. I love the irony in your last line: “Bidding winter a warm welcome.”
Mugs full of nostalgia. Wonderfully crafted, Dana
beautiful work, my friend. Now excuse me while I wrap my fingers round that fading warm mug and finish off my cinnamon bun.