KS Culbreth

Standards of Autumn

…slashes of blurred amber,
rust, copper, crimson
and burnt umber
rushing away on the breeze…
something of the standards
carried into the battle of death
and regeneration by the forces
of spring and summer…
bare bones of those warriors
stark against the overhead
advance of blanketing gray
before the fields, fled of action,
muted, still…hush…there’s the
approaching thunder of long winter
come to trounce the fallen
standards of autumn
streaming away on one
last glorious breeze.