Yesterday's Blueberries

"À la recherche du temps perdu..."
 
Pale gray of gun-metal,
the sky lowers on the valley:
random sunbeams
rend floating mist banks.

On the ridges,
trees weep fall colors,
russet, pumpkin, fawn,
a few leaves streaked
tentative red against
fading greenness.

Scarlet rumors
mottle the patch.

Yesterday's blueberries
gone now,
picked, savored, relished:
lovely, sweet, indigo memories
facing backward
to fading summer warmth.

Yesterday's lovers, friends,
wars, deaths, children:
safe to remember
as the fire crackles
and the wood smoke rises.

Living again,
whole and complete,
pleasant to recall,
they dwell
consummate
in memory
where all things past
truly belong,
where all things past
must rest.
  - mce