NOVEMBER

November
by william zuback

November tree limbs creak with arthritic movements
Dry and brittle, the branches scrape together
Pointing upward like knurled bony fingers, reaching to the cold gray sky
November's bitter wind resonates the muffled tapping of an elder's cane
On a frozen sidewalk balanced by the rhythmic shuffle of heavy feet
Leaves release their grip on majestic limbs
Too tired to hold on, abandoning the muscle
Cold November days mark the change of another season
A season of contrast, of black, white, and gray
Arthritic branches hum and moan in the frenzy of fall
Burdened with the heavy weight of an early snow
Hold on to the trunk, fragile limbs
Deep roots held frozen in time