October: John Updike's Take

In keeping with tradition here at Mainelyhome, here's John Updike's poem "October". If you haven't yet purchased a copy of the book a A Child's Calendar, I highly recommend it.

October
The month is amber,
Gold, and brown.
Blue ghosts of smoke
Float through the town,

Great V's of geese
Honk overhead,
And maples turn
A fiery red.

Frost bites the lawn.
The stars are slits
In a black cat's eye
Before she spits

At last, small witches,
Goblins, hags
And pirates armed
With paper bags,

Their costumes hinged
On safety pins,
Go haunt a night
Of pumpkin grins