First Air of Autumn

by Mike Cooley

First air of autumn up your nose
Popcorn, heavy hairspray, nylon pantyhose
Please stand and bow your heads
And pray you don't get old

The nurture and the admonition of your kind
The rules of 'only strong survive'
Cross-shaped swimming pools down in the blood and lifted up
Forever seeking favor from the light

Schoolhouse hallway like a prairie highway sprawls
The drop-off spins away the sun
The getting-there just proves it's nothing but a ball
Pray the horizon never comes

The hearts of the daughters of the men
Won by the softness of the sons of women's hands
To leave it up to love
Would leave it left to chance

Memory only shows the promise beauty broke
Of beauty ageless in its time
Light attracts the same
You glance away and the glory fades
And being on your arm has lost its shine

School house hallway like a prairie highway sprawls
The drop-off spins away the sun
Like eyes that once could cut through candle power on autumn nights
First air of autumn leaves me numb