Autumn Magnified

At this time of the year, every sense seems magnified: trees are brighter; pungent scents of leafy mulch and wood fires drift across gardens and, here in the UK, fireworks will soon fill the sky to remember Guy Fawkes and the failed Gunpowder Plot. I love the cosiness of wool in jumpers, scarves, gloves and hats, the way the wind whips my hair, and the chill of misty mornings – no frost yet.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, the latest storm woke me by ripping lids off bins and upending the wheelbarrow that had been left out. I got up to check that nothing awful had happened and remembered that the clocks had gone back. Luna, our cat was curled up on my chair, safe inside. I wondered about wild animals: were they also huddled up somewhere safe from the storm?

Looking out of the window, the rain had stopped and the sky was clear with an abundance of stars – but no moon to illuminate any damage done. Was she preparing herself for her autumnal fanfare?

a hunter’s moon
reflects in wild amber eyes
monochromous fox

Kim M. Russell, 26^th October 2026

It’s Haibun Monday with Frank at the dVerse Poets Pub, six days before the ultimate one in October: the day of the Hunter’s Moon, and we are commemorating either the Hunter’s Moon or Halloween.