The Arrival

Arrived autumn
With a visit uninvited
And by chill slowly growing
With a lesson fully dreadful
And by message all displeasing

Then arrived autumn
With a growing understanding
And by vision slowly clearing
With belief calmly growing
And by readiness to embrace

Then arrived autumn
With unpleasant companion
And with frost overwhelming
With a lack of will to stand still
And with a movement backwards drawing

Then arrived Autumn
Not the light of spring to follow
Nor a summer nor a winter
With autumn tints the forest glowing
And with leaves newly falling

Then arrived
I to visit uninvited
With a message to me ageless
Carrying the understanding
Year of autumns one to embrace