I think winter is coming . . .

by megan rulli

1. the days are getting shorter, that embrace of darkness catching up to the sun
2. waking up with the ole sniffles
3. maples are blazing red and my footsteps kick leaves out the way
4. migrating birds and season shifting winds mark humanity’s gravity trap
5. daylight savings time is late, as usual
6. the phillies are in the playoffs
7. my mother’s shrill yell brings the Steelers’ victories
8. the fall fruit is dropping from the trees, the grapes are being picked
9. a young child recently related, “the groundhog says he’s not going to stop eating the vegetables, he doesn’t care that he stinks, and there’s going to be six more weeks of winter”
10. the weeds are going to seed - and the bees fly slowly
11. jack frost . . . creeps, a fain whiff of his scent in the air on those crispiest of morns
12. winter, why not?