soft, soothing coruscations on gentle ripples
as the sun continues its descent to the west
the leaves of these trees soon too will fall
their color sliding down the spectrum
from green into yellow, orange, and red
it is a peaceful scene on this river today
belying the passage of recent storms
though the confluence just downriver
paints a muddier, more accurate picture
this weather feels like a welcome pause
between summer’s heat and autumn’s cool
an invitation to balance and recalibration
in advance of what’s coming downstream