Autumn 2

After early morning rain
           a short walk through the woods
summer on the cusp
           the pitter patter of acorns
raining down
           and then suddenly
the distinctive ra-ta-tat-tat
           of a woodpecker :
its beak beating on the bark
           in search of a grub

I gaze up at the dense green canopy
           but cannot see a thing : pitter patter
ra-ta-tat-tat : pitter patter
           ra-ta-tat-tat

John Lyons