october country

Sister Lou Ella Hickman

December 1, 2024

                  it is october

                  today the air is empty of humidity

                  the sky is a quiet blue clear

                  as if january had already settled in

                  it is october

                  when leaves begin their journey

                  and birds remind everyone of the mystery

                        we all need to return to

                        it is october

                        a place only the heart knows

                        and remembers

Sister Lou Ella Hickman, OVISS is a former teacher and librarian whose writings have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies. Press 53 published her first book of poetry in 2015 entitled she: robed and wordless. She was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2017 and in 2020.