cardboard children hold signs that read “SLOW DOWN!”

slick wet leaves blanket the sprawl beneath their mother trees.

quiet here,
save the distant beeping of a work truck and
some rattling glass from a homeless man’s bag of collections.

large historic bungalows – with classy face-lifts;
large windows and front porches
high rocky lawns and japanese maples.

sky is a pure and consistent #EDEDED

one yard has a red wagon left out,
turned upside down
no doubt in the hurry in for supper

now the overriding noise is my boots crunching
colorful piles of fall underfoot
layered thick on the sidewalk

I smell nothing but fresh, wet air and
the occasional wood burning chimney smoke

keep breathing
keep walking
keep feeling
keep living
keep healing.