Autumn

After the early morning rain
           a short walk
through the woods
           on the cusp of autumn
and all around
           acorns raining down
pitter patter pitter patter
           pitter patter pitter patter

then all of a sudden
           comes the distinctive
ra-ta-tat ra-ta-ta-tat
           of a woodpecker :
its beak beating the bark
           ra-ta-tat ra-ta-ta-tat

I gaze up
           at the dense green foliage
but can’t see a thing
           Ra-ta-tat ra-ta-ta-tat
ra-ta-tat ra-ta-ta-tat
           pitter patter pitter patter

John Lyons