Monday, October 24, 2011

The Bandits of Fall



Leaf Series 1, 2005


They scurry around like bandits this time of year,
gathering all the acorns they can carry,
but leaving just enough for you to trip on.

They stash them in the nooks of trees
and bury them in the flower pots
so that next spring you'll find little oaks
popping up everywhere.

They run behind you when you turn away
and gambol on the lawn
And race along the tops of fences
and chase each other up and down the trunks of trees
and tease the dog.

And when they get so caught up in their work
that they unexpectedly find themselves toe to toe with you
they look up, as if to say "What?"

Then they run again.
The yard is theirs this time of year, these squirrels.

2 comments:

  1. I love that image, Chris! Leaves are dropping fast up ere now that we've passed peak color. The mercury is dropping fast and we've already had two hard frost so it won't be long before the flakes fly.

    I really miss watching the little critters swarming around the white oaks in Mom's front yard. Up here they're wilder and rarely encountered unless you're out in the woods. I don't think I've seen a dozen squirrels in the 7+ years we've lived here.

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