..
It was a long, silent fall
into the days
where “Dad” was spoken
in past tense.
He was tall
like autumn shadows
and he made us laugh
like the dancing, crackled leaves
around our feet.
And he would fast remind us
that trees return
to green
in this orbit’s gentle whirling
when spring gives back again.
.
.
(C) 1997, 2017 Betty Hayes Albright
.

1955 – Deception Pass, Whidbey Island, Washington State
.
(A tribute to my dad, who passed away twenty years ago this month.
My apologies to those who have read it previously.)