hard nw wind and magnificent sun
full blast deep turquoise water and sky
sailboat carved from slices of a taut, white balloon
skitters on tight frothing chop
the island flexes, searching for better footing
the first yellow leaves swirl,
the old firs howl
the luff of the planet
as it is brought around
into the change of season
*Copyright 2010 by Luther Allen. This poem appears in The View from Lummi Island.