Pilgrim
by Holly Wren Spaulding
October is to fall
all things die back
varieties of brittle
tannic smoke
where are you from
now that you’re not
from there
cider and hard air
bowls of soup
I make for my love
at a yellow counter
in a quiet house
with books on shelves
bulbs for lamps
a stack of quilts
where we’ll sleep
and wake
like nowhere else
from Pilgrim (Alice Greene & Co., 2014)
Holly Wren Spaulding 
I have loved this poem since I first read it at Writers Retreat 2014…and just read it again. Thank you for your beautiful poetry and the stunning photos you share, too.
Thanks, Joanne. That photo was taken in our yard, looking toward the back of the property. We live in a small New England village, but have the good fortune of occupying a lot that’s surrounded by many trees, with some great sky views and the feeling that we’re in the country, despite being just one block from the library and post office.