Comfortable November

by Cheryl Merrick

The bright, busyness of summer
is over.
The dazzling colors of fall
are gone.
The harvest is in.
The leaves have fallen.
Trees stand gray-brown
against a muted sky.


The time of quiet reflection
has arrived.
In this time of stillness,
we remember blessings
as we hug coats close to us.

This is a time to savor 
the smells of spices, apples, and pumpkins;
A time to enjoy family in warm homes;
A time to sit snugly by the fire
watching rain out the window.

It is a time to remember;
A time to rest
wrapped in the comfortable brownness
of November