autumnal Texas

Terry Dawson

October 4, 2026

a tangible turn away from

the sweat & singe becomes 

routine   green gingerly dipping 

into a leaf pile of options

breath in Texas rises

more easily   steps 

quicken against the wind -- 

a promise/threat in it

storm surges muscle-in

from the Gulf with gusts

claiming, "mine, mine" 

cicada night clamor dampens down

things wing away   the tilt 

of a planet felt, a smile, a partial 

equator across the face, breaks

mixed emotions escape like steam 

that will come from mouths but not yet 

shrubs prepare to disrobe in public 

crops offer one last lunge and

wait for the taking

last call:

a round on the unrelenting sun

halfway out the door already

drunk enough for a season

Terry Dawson is a retired Presbyterian minister and former adjunct faculty member at San Francisco Seminary. He recently relocated to Madison, Connecticut, but resided in Austin, Texas, for over two decades. While there, he produced the multicultural poetry, jazz, and live painting collaborative "Five Voizz Brush," wrote a guest column on faith for the Austin American-Statesman, and co-chaired the Jazz at St. James' committee of St. James' Episcopal Church. His poetry, essays, and fiction have appeared in many print and online journals over the past fifty years. He's authored two full-length collections of verse: the after: poems only a planet could love (Poets' Choice, 2022) and Pursuing the Ruin (Lamar University Literary Press, due out in 2026).