Emily-Sue Sloane

My mind,
jumpy as a cricket on the loose,
lists the outdoor chores
piling up against my fence
of resistance.

A chill wind scatters them
across the lawn again,
shows I've missed my chance
to clear, stow and batten down
within the shrinking circle
of the autumn sun.

—Emily-Sue Sloane
Excerpted from "Crunch Time"