invasive autumn
smudge pots heat shivering limbs
green mottled leaves curl

white dew rests atop orange grove fallen leaves
scattered ‘cross orchard floors like frosted tears;

smudge pots push exhaust off chimney flames
keep cold snaps at bay & tree limbs alive;

north winds chill resplendent September nights
choofers choke on smoke: choofa choofa choofa;

huffing & puffing
unburnt gas pops & explodes
highway torches glow

starry skies’ ebon curtains swing open come dawn
pierce oily black clouds in vain, make visible terrain;

citrus boughs hang heavy though hidden from view
as sump oil, diesel, kerosene fumes bombard olfactory senses;

the pitch of chattering greenfinches & gritty combustion mix
bring sounds to silent ripening— fruit rich in vitamin C;

twenty-four/seven
black mist hovers like dry ice
shimmers twilight shades
                        

Fallen hemlock trees create natural bridges
link muddy embankments with nature’s trestles, 
span turbulent rapids that mix motely foliage, 
twigs, dirt & pebbles…which brisk currents  
empty into placid, stillwater ponds; 
momentum lost, channels hug contents, 
glassy surfaces mirror azure skies peeking 
beyond reddish-brown trunks & branches;
moss insulates soil as bracken ferns reach 
high heaven, flourishing in dampened light.  

Squirrels scurry across forest floors, scamper up 
cedar, fir & juniper bark while bald eagles nest
in eyries nurture eggs in boles high above
finches, grosbeaks, chickadees & nuthatches
seeking out seed-filled cones of pine & spruce.

Twilight’s chill beckons, brings on a hush;
trout jump from the benthic zone flaring
gills, swallowing midges & mosquitos,
ignoring the sounds of chirping crickets
buzzing June bugs & ribbiting frogs;
confer needles clutch evening zephyrs, 
attempt spiked evergreen psithurism emulating                       
the crisp autumn rustle of deciduous leaves
at odds with tranquil pools, silent springs,
& gentle ripples lapping under moonwakes.