Autumn Trio

yellow leaves fall
form wide circles around each tree
and the circles overlap
to form this path we walk:
one wide fabric of color

years sifting
sunlight,
bay tree scent
fills coastward climb
spins against the coil:
leaves and light, laurelling
safe for now in filtered shade

south on levee dirt road
crows on and off cottonwoods
half-filled irrigation ditches
far enough from freeway noise

warm and dusty in late fall
the whole flat valley, smell of grain
cropduster off toward Davis diving and rising
turning to dive again.

it almost got quiet and I
slowed down enough
to notice what I forget to.

Quinton took things
in stride, breathing alfalfa air
the floodplain feeds, turning from
a walk in silence, remembering.