This is the familiar path I ride to get from the valley to my house.
I rode my bicycle beside the San Diego River today before I headed up the hill to our house. Everything was familiar: the river, the poplars, the moon (full next Monday), the bike path. There was chill in the air, but in San Diego there will be no frost; however, frost will come to San Diego County's mountains sometime this month.

REACHING FOR THE MOON

Poplars beside the river reach for the full moon
in October when other trees preparing to sleep
ignore everything but frost in the south wind
biting at the last green leaves struggling
like sweet gum and maple before they let go
falling spinning drifting settling dying
which happens to all of us eventually
stretching until the very end
reaching for the full moon in October.