Beneath us pumped out caterpillar greenery

Instead now gold-yellow-brown monarch

Taken by torrents

To ho hum steel-dull drains.

Executioner tells us we love,

Reveling in the taken-for-granted when it goes.

Sunset still there but more demure,

We are ready for the holding-of-breath.

Each with mittens, boots, umbrella

Each a solo wonder, Can I hold the beat?

To have a chrysalis as lantern just to ourselves.