So much depends upon a red wheelbarrow 
piled high with golden hay and autumn dreams, 
bright pumpkins fill the day and moonlight seems 
to whisper of penumbras 'round the bend 

where childrens' playful laughter rides the wind 
like soap-blown bubbles and sweet apple crisp 
now sizzles my olfactory memories, 
as amber leaves so grace the boughs of trees. 

October blue skies put me in a daze, 
of childhood innocence – a merry phase, 
where all that God created is still good 
and everything seems happy, as it should 

like life when there’s no war, no hate or pain, 
no sin or sorrow, dark skies, winter rain, 
nor fear of what will be – no thing to dread, 
just sweet remembrances that fill my head, 

and truly all I’ve written is to say: 
his red wheelbarrow turns my heart today. 

© October 31, 2001 
Anne Bryant-Hamon 

- written for Rod Nichols' Autumn poetry challenge