October's Flower

Finding love in a wet October wood

24 lines

Octobers' Flower

First night of frost, my finger tips
You loved by lifting to your lips
And kissed them warmly with your breath
So they'd not freeze and fall to death.
And though I knew my hands turned warm
I hid the knowledge -- gentle harm
Lest your hands should them release
And fall away to fell our peace.

In October woods of fading green
We ploughed the feathered leaves, the sheen
Of rain and sleet had dyed to brown
Until Fall winds could blow them down.
And in the steps of love's shy child
Careful we trod lest love too wild
Like leaves blown down to muddy soil
Should fall away to rot and spoil

Yet fearing perhaps that we would tread
Too softly and but fall instead
Of rising, eye to eye I faced
Your eyes bewitched, and then embraced
Your gentle chin with fingertips
And raised it up to plant on lips
Our first kiss - so in Fall's bower
Bloomed our love -- Octobers' flower.