“Autumn Morning” by Ira Schaeffer

After Hiroshige’s Yumihari-zuki

Hiroshige, Yumihari-zuki, n.d., woodcut on rice paper

Awake to the crescent moon,
rising from the wedge of mountains;
it sways your heart
with dreams of crossing—
precarious, unsettling.

Now with the flutter and squawk,
the rush of cascading waters
through mist and cloud
you climb the curving path,
shedding the tangle of thought
with each step of hand-cut stone.

Reach the stand of pines:
below the flowing river,
above the open sky
where the bow of moon
becomes your bridge
into the floating world.

A former English professor, Ira has had his poems appear in a variety of print and online publications. He currently shares his love for poetry by leading workshops and hosting open mics in libraries and centers for lifelong learning.

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