A gogyohka for Frank Tassone’s weekly challenge. This week is red autumn foliage. The leaves don’t turn here with a spectacular display as they do in some parts of the world. It’s been a hard summer for the trees and many of them were showing signs of stress before the end of August. Lots of yellowing, and the grass is still dry and brown. The ash trees look miserable and the poplars are shedding big golden leaves like the wealthy tossing alms to beggars, but the rest are hanging on, still green.

summer dried and shrivelled

tree hearts ached

and autumn rains run dry from mean clouds

leaves cling fading green

dreaming of red gold fire