Autumn Approaches Poem by Jack Worthington

All decays, the leaves on the trees and the stars in the sky
Ending in various shades of brown and black
Slowly neutralized, then oxidized as electrons fly away
My brashness gone, it's confidence I lack.

Nothing ages well, even fine wine has its day
So it is with nations as politicians play
The game is always rigged and we cannot get away
Certainty turns to fear as wine turns to vinegar.

The candidates are polished, as headers on a car
Emanating vapors into the cold night air
Tuning out the noise, I couldn't give a care
As the engine rattles on driving us to war.

What's a man to do? God help me I don't know
Truth is forever, lies decay and die
On a dangerous shore just avoid the undertow
All will be fine, for my soul they cannot buy.

Life is so fragil, so fearful and full of ambiguity
Regrets pile up as leaves on the cool grass
Clinging together their stems a mismatch of incongruity
The autumn rain pounds on sheets of glass.