Fall Carnival

Photo Aug 10, 11 50 40 PM - Copy

Young love, what it felt like. A clear Autumn day –
Golden leaves, a blue sky, the bright carnival way;
At fourteen years old with my very true love
A large crowd around us, a few clouds above

The roar and the music, the beautiful girl,
My mind in a passion, my heart in a whirl –
We watched as a pulling glass man did his craft,
And walked our wide circuit from fore back to aft

And we never touched – but somehow she touched me;
In ways that come back now in fair memory.
A crush, I guess, one hardly lasting much longer;
But for that one day, I had never felt stronger

And rarely have since. It was one of those things:
Days when your heart’s dancing and when your soul sings —
When Autumn embraces you, full, as a boy
And all coalesces with love
And in joy

The Barley

The barley’s gotten ripe and full,
The harvest time is here;
The days are turning cold and dry,
The clouds are fleeing from the sky,
And wintertime grows near

The barley fields are thick with grain
For feed and malt and beer:
The days are growing short and wide,
But harvest has our needs supplied,
As wintertime grows near —

The days are colder, gray and slow –
The last few golden grains will go –
The winter will
Be here