First Fallen
the first leaves
begin to fall
before equinox
or cold
but when weather
shifts from
summer heat
to comfortable
once more
and below
the branches
we all wait
for the cascade
to come
Gideon’s Challenge – First Fallen
Gideon’s Challenge
Gideon’s Challenge – Relaxation
Relaxation
Clouds dance
beneath a blue sky
offering fodder
for the imagination
as park benches
made of stone
give rest
for a spine in spasm
and as head
tilts back
to watch the show
children laugh
and play
and the autumn day
slowly unfolds
into a cool but
beautiful foray
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Gideon’s Challenge – Comfy
Comfy
A small autumn gift
for the house
whose spirit
celebrates the new
and as sunlight
slips through
sheer curtains
the eyes catch
and it’s so cute
that it brings
a smile to lips
and I cross
to feel its squish
of little tickling nubs
between toes
then fingertips
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Gideon’s Challenge – Sweet Nothings
Sweet Nothings
cuffs rolled up
to just beneath
the knees
we sit
together
on the dock
with toes in
ice cold water
to watch as
the sun sinks slow
to paint the sky
in the pink
of roses
that match
the color
of my cheeks
as you
rumble whispers
in my ear
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Gideon’s Challenge – Bereft
Bereft
Too much time
spent
swimming
in the
choppy sea
of mental health
deficiency
and unable
to see over
the whitecaps
means
too much
of life’s
enjoyments
are lost
along the way
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Gideon’s Challenge – Captivated
Captivated
evening brings
the swell of clouds
that seem
to birth
from nowhere
and spread
over head
until the sky roils
like a sea
filled with ripples
and white caps
in a battle
for supremacy
Twisting the Leaf 