The world leans forward here
where maples turn copper
across the hillside
I stand at the summit hands open
watching leaves drift
in uneven spirals
Summer still lingers in my chest
warmth held in the lungs
offering promises September
has already broken
The valley below
keeps its burnt orange secret
and I know this feeling
the instant before
everything shifts
My shadow stretches long behind
while ahead the mountain
slips away into the territory of winter
Tonight will turn cold
the furnace will breathe awake
daylight will thin
minute by minute each afternoon
until we forget
the long evenings of July
I release what I thought
about permanence
about staying still
The slope calls me downward
my boots steady on the path ahead
and pine needles guide me
carrying me into
whatever October
has been shaping in silence
About the Creator
Tim Carmichael
Tim is an Appalachian poet and cookbook author. He writes about rural life, family, and the places he grew up around. His poetry and essays have appeared in Bloodroot and Coal Dust, his latest book.
Reader insights
Nice work
Very well written. Keep up the good work!
Top insights
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
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Comments (4)
Absolutely beautiful. I love this poem about the changing of the seasons. It has an emotional quality to it.
Beautifully-crafted!
Beautiful poem
Lovely. Thank you for writing this poem, Tim