by George A. Hancock
with Photos by Bob Hancock

October Dark 

My early run is dark
Often a quiet black lark
October is shorter days
With fewer sunny rays.

This makes many mad
But, running’s not a fad
We learn and move on
For me, before dawn.

My rechargeable light
Illuminates my flight
Alerting cars to me
Out on a road spree.  

Yes, there’s more dark
With October in park
This happens every year
There’s no reason to fear.

Study, adapt, and move on
Assures there’s a new dawn
It’s dark but so much to see
Colorful autumn sights, agree? 

That First Frost

Our October days grow cool
As we skip that sweaty drool
Now we don warmer clothes 
To thwart autumn’s impose.

October often brings a frost
That comes with a big cost
Warm weather is now gone
Until a distant spring dawn.

Sure, we’ll have nice fall days
With sunshine beaming rays
But there’s also chilly days
Minus the warmer sun rays.

Despite the frost, I wear shorts
Gloves, a hat as my road sports
Embrace autumn’s full season
With changes for good reason.

The first frost is a road sign
So, there’s no need to whine
Embrace the season, move on
October requires no coupon.

Rustling Leaves 

October means rustling leaves 
As warm weather fans grieve
The leaves steadily drop fast
The brilliant colors never last. 

I’m out on an early day run
Before dawn without any sun
A slight wind moves the debris
Into leaf piles that I can see.

Crunch, crunch go my shoes
For some these are the blues
Many critters hear my approach
They’re warned so no reproach.

Sometimes I try to catch one
Some fun before I’m “run done”
Of course, I let the leaves go
They love freedom, you know. 

Rustling leaves is a later sign
Of October’s final baseline
Gone are the colorful hues
And those majestic views.

October 

Sunday brings October One 
And September days are done 
Autumn is now in high gear
With darker days many fear.

Fall activities continue on
As this guy runs before dawn
Less daylight is a daily staple
As is that colorful fall maple. 

October running is seasonal joy
Appreciated by this road boy
October’s sights are in perfect hue
Presenting a spectacular road view

October’s morning chill is never bad
These seasonal sights make us glad 
Sure we wear more autumn clothes
But October’s run doesn’t decompose. 

Halloween is October’s final day 
We still Trick or Treat out this way
I ponder, should I take a treat bag
Or will all those treats make me lag? 

On a Spooky Run

Halloween creates a spooky run
As October’s final days are done
Halloween morning is eerily dark
Nervously covering my road lark.

I run along some shredded trees
Their leaves gone in the breeze
These bare trees guard the road
Creating a spooky run episode. 

My run is so quiet, not a sound
As I begin my running round
I run past the harvested corn 
On this black pre-dawn morn.

Sometimes the scariest thing 
Is not a noisy screaming bling
But the quiet without any noise
Which for many folks annoy.

Now the Halloween run is over
Just like that spring green clover
I finished my run out and back 
Without any Halloween attack.

Categories: Poet's Corner

Tags: 2023, George A Hancock