Mums and Bones

I planted mums today
In dry crumbled dirt
Hoping that they are as hearty as I think
That they will take root before the winter
That seems so far away
In today’s rare October warmth
The winter that seems so distant
Even under the clouds that looked like rain
That for a moment, felt like spring
Which is when life becomes green
And hearts are happy
But it is autumn
When plumage falls to brown
Violated by the season
Leaving us bare
And naked
With just ourselves and the sound
Of brittle dream coats beneath our feet
When we are stripped of our embellishment
To find twisted bark full of knots and insects
In autumn we are left with just our bones to show
As we collect our skins and feathers from the ground
For a romp, as if to celebrate the shedding
Of such beautiful and heavy things
As for our bones
They will be set afire
To feed us through the winter.