rilke's "autumn day"

our swimming pool is closed for the winter now - the swimming season lasted four months this year: june, july, august and september. i have been slowly but surely bringing in all the accoutrements as well as tying tarps over the equipment.

i saw this shadow and thought it symbolized the real end of summer - the shadow of a deck chair on snow.

rainer maria rilke's "autumn day" fits this one so nicely . . . . there are several translations of this poem, but i liked this one the best:

autumn day

lord: it is time. the summer was immense.
lay your long shadows on the sundials,
and on the meadows let the winds go free.
command the last fruits to be full;
give them just two more southern days,
urge them on to completion and chase
the last sweetness into the heavy wine.
who has no house now, will never build one.
who is alone now, will long remain so,
will stay awake, read, write long letters
and will wander restlessly up and down
the tree-lined streets, when the leaves are drifting.

translation edward snow 1991