![](https://res.cloudinary.com/jerrick/image/upload/d_642250b563292b35f27461a7.png,f_jpg,fl_progressive,q_auto,w_1024/64cd6b698f9b0c001dbbfb2c.jpg)
I saw a fox yesterday. She was crossing
The street when our eyes met.
She turned around and fled,
Scurried hurriedly (scaredly) away.
And I thought of autumn
And that hazy dream,
Distant and almost forgotten:
There were maple leaves—bronze, saffron,
Burnt umber and rust;
And there was a stray dog.
I woke up in tears, barely breathing,
Gasping for air. Seizing
Morning dusk (dawn?). Grasping reality.
Regaining and embracing integrity.
What else was there in that dream?
Uncertainty is intimidating.
Did I miss something again?
Navigating through these vibrant
But also blurry and shaded
Color flashes, I choose to halt by a drowsy park.
Heaps of leaves. Skulking past this midst,
My memories. It's me and you and few
More friends. No longer kids,
But still so very young.
We play the game of trust.
I am a catcher. You stay with your
Eyes closed—it sharpens your senses, you say—
Behind you fumes a heap of leaves:
All shades of orange, and this scent,
The musky-sweet and pungent scent
Of rot and death and something
So inexplicably attractive-evocative.
This is autumn.
Behind you, there's the heap of soggy leaves
And me, with arms wide open,
Ready to catch. Your body wobbles
In hesitation. Are my hands strong enough?
Are my eyes sharp enough? my reaction fast enough?
My grip firm? my heart determined?
Uncertainty intimidates.
Take a deep breath and—
You let it fall—
I wait—
the distance fades,
melts, thaws—
I wait—
You didn't even bend your knees—
Wait, did I eventually catch you?
Then what are you so furious about?
Don't say that you did not enjoy
The benefit of the doubt, and
How hormones kicked in.
So thin is this memory,
Autumn gossamer.
Farewell.
I didn't see the fox today.
There were only winds howling
And whispering in my ears.
Years passing past my eyes.
And the scent of autumn leaves
Etched on my tongue
Threatening to leave me.
Please, don't.
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Comments (9)
Great work! Wonderful writing!
This was amazing imagery. 💕
Gorgeous imagery ❤️ I feel kind of anxious, but dont regret reading it one bit 😁
interesting thoughts! Read mine too? https://vocal.media/fiction/an-irrevocable-dream-about-a-mermaid
Fabulous poem!!! Beautifully written!!! Loving it!!!♥️♥️💕
Wow. Your imagery is spot on. Great poem.
Uh that falling imagery is very smart and evocative Andrei! Very glad to read this! This gets better with multiple reads! (Very) sublime! ☺️😁
I guess autumn is a time of great beauty as well as peril. Pretty colors there, I'm ready for the rot and nostalgia to come and cool things off! Very shapely poem.
Insecurity vs. trust & how it takes our breath away, much as seeing a fox or a stray dog, having that moment, all captured dreamlike on an Autumn day.