Lake Walks

My sister goes to school

in Oswego.

If you walk too far out of your

dorm in a snowstorm,

you could fall into the lake.

But when it's sunny

these quasi Canadians sunbathe

or throw rocks at each other

and the spiders.

They have a seawall

which you're not supposed to walk on

because if you don't time it right

the tide will come in

and you'll drown

(or be rescued and arrested by the coast guard).

So naturally
doing so is
 a rite of passage.

I preferred to sit on the beach

and watch autumn roll in

across the lake 

down from the great

frozen

North.

SUNY Oswego is

one of New York State's many state schools.

Autumnal Brooklyn

It's time for sweaters

and maple sugar candy

and all the 

Long Islanders

to go up to my hometown

to look at leaves

and spend money on our apples.

I may even have to join them

this year.

Despite my crippling allergies

Autumn is my favorite season.

Layers

without hats and mittens.

Warm drinks

without snotsicles.

And sitting out in nature

watching the wonder of the world

as it changes.

Breathing our last breaths

in the susurrus caesura of a park.