California Fall

Fall doesn’t happen here
but I do.
Winter’s chill is
wrestled away by
thousands of miles.
Spring arrives
on my doorstep
early.
I smile and
open my door
to the sun
of what will be
a long sensuous summer.
Now,
leaves fall where I used to cry,
winter’s dread enveloping me,
spring so late it was deadening,
summer so brief and hot,
it was never enough.