Idle Hands - Nov 3 2023

 

Idle Hands

Nov 3 2023

Tonight, under clear sky

the mercury will drop;

the coldest night

so far this fall.

The buds

have already set

leaves dropped,

squirrels collected

their winter stash.

And in the early morning, the clocks will fall back,

shrouding late afternoon

in sudden darkness.

No wonder

the end of the world

once seemed at hand.

Back 

when the ancients

in desperation

petitioned their gods

and prayed for sun,

sacrificed

if not virgin maidens

then bleating lambs.

But I know better;

that in the fullness of time

the world turns

and I am carried along.

So I snuggle in before a cozy fire

in a warm pool

of incandescent light,

surrendering

to my stream of consciousness

and writing down what comes.

Free of superstition

but still not fear.

Not while the gods

in Valhalla

or the Biblical heaven,

on Mt. Olympus

or wherever

find themselves at loose ends;

who knows what mischief

their idle hands

might be getting up to.