Summer’s lease is over,
fall has settled in,
the knuckle bones of winter,
are showing through his skin

I'm waving the flag
A bitter off white
The color you choose
When you give up the fight
Throw in the towel
Calling it quits
I've had enough
Of the meaningless
Calling a truce
Ready to yield
Raising both hands
Out in left field
Not mock surrender
But the real thing
Along with the fat lady
I'm ready to sing
From here ever after
My tongue's gonna stop
Box up the chatter
Sweep up spilled guts
I'll nod along
As I'm read my writes
I'm now more than ready
To give up the fight

I wandered lonely as a rose by Autumn's gate
as I lay there in still repose, petals strewn      
I fell apart like dessert moon;
The scent that once perfumed my reign
were mellowed by September's rain
I drifted distant in the woods.
All my husks fell to the soil
each petal dried right where it stood    
No gardener's hand of hue embroiled
that filament that quivered slow  
like dying embers of nights glow
Shambled, windblown as the wind
beneath the last of summer's ray
regretfully I did rescind
As summer lost her fired splay
I wandered,
Lost and alone like a rose,
until the end of summer froze.