autumnal isolation

im grateful that we met at the changing of the seasons
because the streets i recall walking with you
are beginning to take a different form.
leaves of once vibrant greens
now find themselves scattered in piles
mixed with mud on the ground.
the trivial tinge of humidity
that accompanied us has gone,
leaving a dryness that causes cracks in my skin.
the wind that was once a cool breeze
is now the kind that cuts through the air.
the tip of my nose and the edges of my ears
succumb to a slight numbness.
these streets are now accustomed to a shift in energy.
they lack the warmth and youth i felt with you,
but it makes it possible to reclaim
these rows of houses as mine again.
i still feel a sense of melancholy —
at least i can blame that on the dying trees.