Tenth month. Ten future spoons. October’s almost over. Thetrees...

Tenth month. Ten future spoons. October’s almost over. The
trees are in full flame along Mount Auburn Street. Ivy clambers along a fence;
leaves – red now – engulf the pickets. A heightened moment of the change, earth’s ripeness
sensed on every inhale, and it’s hard not to wonder (with fear and hope, as
always, but especially right now) what might happen next. The Japanese maple
will hold onto its leaves longer than the rest of the trees on the block. Curls
of maple will collect on the floor as I carve another spoon (I write that and
think: don’t jinx yourself, who knows if you’ll be so lucky). Two full
moons this month, and the trees, as in all Octobers, call our attention, but do
not care if they get it or not.