Monday, August 17, 2026, 67.4*F, 78% RH, 0751
There is a light standing beside my desk, in fact there are two. One directs light to the music stand, the other refuses, after being moved, to light anything. I checked the wiring, the on/off switch, the batteries in the remote, plugged it into another outlet, nothing persuades it to send its light anywhere.
Rain fell last night – not much, the deck is not wet, there’s a puddle in one plastic chair. A strong breeze makes music with leaves. Three small red leaves lie on the deck, exactly three, I counted, like I count pills from the bottle as they fall into my hand. When too many fall into my hand, I put them back into the bottle. I can’t put leaves back on a tree. I cannot find the tree, the limb the place they were attached.
I can only count, look at the color, the shape, the light provided, the light withheld
to know that fall is coming.
Photo: LJ Austin
