Harvest's Bounty

The northern forests of
deciduous trees are fast 
losing their brilliant
autumnal-hued foliage of
lime green, burnt orange, scarlet, 
bronze and blazing yellows
as windbursts under a
dirty-linen sky defoliate
oak and maple, birch and beech
in the rain of a depleting canopy.
Beyond the woods other
symbols of the season abound
where thousands of wayfaring
geese pause their migration
to settle in casual exhausted
formation in newly harvested
cornfields, pecking avidly among
the stubble, discovering ample
reward in kernels of corn
fallen from harvesting machines
provisioning the weary flocks
to sustain them for the morning
flight after overnight rest
on these fields serendipity and
the generosity of nature linked
to human enterprise have provided.