At a Random Point in Summer, My Thoughts Turn to Fall

There’s no going back.

Heather Lee
2 min readAug 31, 2023
A close up of lily pads and two white water lilies sitting on the water’s surface.
Water lilies and pads floating on the water in high summer. Photo taken by Daughter

One moment I am enjoying

watermelon dripping down my chin

flittering butterflies

movies in the park.

Then cracks a dry branch underfoot

Or a falling leaf tangles in my hair.

Or a summer cookout smells too much like a smores bonfire

The trigger can be anything.

I never see it coming.

My mind turns.

It never turns back.

For me, summer is over.

I yearn for

walks down sidewalks through crispy, crunchy earth colored leaves

Scarecrows welcoming the wayward traveler into corn husk labyrinths

High school football games with parents gossiping in the bleachers.

I need pumpkin everything.

Spaghetti, acorn, and butternut squash find themselves on every dinner table.

The warming smell of crock pot soup suffuses the evening hours.

Apple cider doughnuts are the dessert of choice.

For your sake, I will continue to play summer,

Like summer is not over for me,

But in my head, I am

Measuring you for your Halloween costume

Creating the Thanksgiving table centerpiece

Changing out screens for storm Windows.

Fall has begun;

You just don’t see it yet.

Frosted glass with hollies and berries etched into the surface.
Seasons are a-changin’! Photo taken by Daughter

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Heather Lee
Heather Lee

Written by Heather Lee

One white cane in a sighted world

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