California Fall

California Fall- - 
swarthy men smoke in the sun, 
taking off their coats.

Red leaves falling...

Red leaves falling -- 
Cat watches birds in the rain 
from the window.

10/30/84

The night I was raped for the second time,
a girl was killed
by a man with worn out shoes
and an even more frayed sense of morality
for $600 that stayed in a safe he couldn't open
so she was murdered for nothing
while, in other places,
people bought candy and hung effigies of ghosts
and prepared for costumed children's visits.
Her name was Robin,
and, if you are reading this, you know mine,
and now you know why some people
don't like Halloween.
There are some things
even fun-sized candy
cannot fix.

A sliver of moon...

A sliver of moon

and the dawning sun--

gray outlines of trees.

Fog rolls in...

Fog rolls in--
a soft, warm sweater, and
the rustle of leaves.

Summer's last hurrah....

Summer's last hurrah--
songbirds, the smell of peaches,
and careless sunburns.

A Couple Versions

Cat head disappears
into a ball of fur --
apples bake, birds tweet.

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Cat head disappears
into a ball of fur --
winds blow browning leaves.

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Winds blow browning leaves--
cat's head disappears
into a ball of fur.