October Rain

I only go there once a year
To my knowledge it’s the only time I can
But I start watching the weather sometimes
As early as July
Start rubbing Rogaine on my head, too
Thinking I’ll meet up with you
And you won’t like me less
If my hair’s a mess
And there
Just if it’s not
I don’t know what
You’ll think
And I don’t want to chance it

//\\

I start listening to Christopher Cross in August
No, I’ll never be the same again
I honestly can’t even remember when
I was
I drive by the old base theater
Been defunct since we both split for college
And the base is now an industrial park
So it’s just a lark
But I do it
And when I view it
There’s like three crooked letters
On the marquee
And they don’t say Rocky anymore
It’s just gibberish

//\\

That poem you wrote
I turned it into a song
In September I unfold it carefully
And sing it
It’s got a ring it
Just isn’t something the world’s ready for
But I imagine that they are
And they're all singing along
Like Hey Jude and Let it Be
In three part harmony
And they know every word
I’d love to be there
The first time you hear them all belt it out
One day, maybe…

When October is around the corner
Sleep does not come
Waiting for the rain
And when it arrives
I walk into it
And then together, hand in hand
We wade into it
The pile of brown and orange and red and leftover green
Up the hill
Down its backside
Sit on our bottoms
And slip and slide
Down and down and down
Then to our feet
And ten steps more
Open the door
In the shape of a maple leaf
Of yellow with brown curling edges
Peek through the hedges…

//\\

And find October there
Charlie and Lucy and that cursed football are right where
We left them last year
Or whenever we were last here
In the pumpkin patch
With the growing, glowing presence
Of brilliant green mossy thatch
Squish the apples in the press
And what a great batch
Two one-gallon milk jugs full
Down the hatch
We can warm it later
But the rain is slowing
Subsiding
And the snow and frost will soon come out from hiding
I need to disconnect the hose from the house
If I don’t unscrew it
I’ll forget to do it
And we’ll have to wade through it
Just like we did the leaves

//\\

And when I’m done
I stand and turn
And the cool November wind burns
My eyes
And I can feel the light trace
Of warmth running down my face