autumn is upon us

           for Rosita
              (go and tell the whole world this poem is yours!)

autumn is upon us
my dear friend Rosita
we have it in our hair
on our face, on our hands
weighing on our backs and
in some ailment of the body as well
we show it
with the slightest smile
in whatever expression we make
inclusive
when we remain silent and
when immersed in our thoughts
(frowning)
we try to reconcile our present
with our past

it’s autumn
the rain falls
the wind blows and
that’s how time goes by
there is nowhere
we can hide
these days
are getting shorter
the nights longer and
the cold in the air is harder to bear
inevitably
the leaves of our youthful years
are falling one by one and
sometimes they fall by the many

autumn is upon us
my dear friend Rosita
but we must celebrate with grace
the remaining seasons
we still have in our life
soon
we will be a couple of old trees
waving at each other
with the branches holding
just a few leaves and
those will also fall
but you will laugh out loud
I will also laugh in the same way
just like we did
when the flowers bloomed
in our youth
in those days
when we used to tell anecdotes
saying -some months ago-
but we grew up and
later we were talking
of -some years ago -
as our friendship was getting old

autumn will leave
obstinately
its mark when passing
but to my eyes
you will always be the same
rose of your youth
of my youth
that's how
I will carry you in my soul
forever
my dear friend Rosita