A Letter In October

Ted Kooser's poetry has a way of catching images then illuminating words into poetry that makes sense to all of us. Enjoy A Letter in October as we celebrate the beauty of autumn.

A Letter in October

Dawn comes later and later now,

and I, who only a month ago

could sit with coffee every morning

watching the light walk down the hill

to the edge of the pond and place

a doe there, shyly drinking,

then see the light step out upon

the water, sowing reflections

to either side -- a garden

of trees that grew as if by magic --

now see no more than my face,

mirrored by darkness, pale and odd,

startled by time.While I slept,

night in its thick winter jacket

bridled the doe with a twist

of wet leaves and led her away,

then brought its black horse with harness

that creaked like a cricket, and turned

the water garden under. I woke,

and at the waiting window found

the curtains open to my open face;

beyond me, darkness. And I,

who only wished to keep looking out,

must now keep looking in.

--Ted Kooser