In light of the winding down of Summer—oh, the sad, sweet departure of blue skies and dazzling colors and wistful stray clouds dancing along the horizon and lazy afternoons at the swimming hole—and the coming of, dare I say it, Fall and, ultimately (arg!) Winter, I am re-posting this seasonal poem by the incomparable Brian Fanelli.
The leaves lay like a wound,
red and deep across the lawn, while what remains
is frightened away by bursts of November wind.
I look at concrete-gray clouds and sigh,
knowing it is time to cover flower beds,
yank out roots of annuals,
their petals shriveled and frail, as fine as dust
released to the air.
Soon I will cut back roots of perennials,
until everything in the yard is brown,
until birds no longer chirp,
but vacate their nests,
more visible now as branches of trees
shake against the wind
and scrape against windows like angry fingers,
while the house creaks at its joints.
©2016 Brian Fanelli
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Published by The Accidental Poet
I am a Christian in recovery following four decades of active addiction. I have a B.S. in Psychology and an M.A. in Theological Studies from Colorado Christian University, and I will be pursuing an M.A. in Divinity at Denver Seminary in May 2021. My focus is on evangelism and apologetics, doctrinal studies, and working with individuals struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues. To me, there is no "higher power" than Jesus Christ, who broke the chain of addiction in my life. I will be seeking a position as a prison chaplain and/an associate or teaching pastor upon completing my MDiv. I am currently looking for a position at a drug and alcohol rehab, where I intend to work during the three-year master's program at Denver Seminary. I believe in the power in the Name of Jesus to break every chain. I believe counseling must include discipline, and discipling must include counseling.
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