The Orchard - A.R. Williams

The dainty hand plucks a Gala apple.
Under the tree, I open the bag—
space for one more.

Walking back, the cicada chorus
whirrs, like a biker revving her engine
before speeding off.

Summer is nearly over; fall is imminent,
and yet, the heat continues
to linger.

As the daylight fades, we stop,
plant ourselves, and eat an apple together,
as dusk turns to darkness.

Previously published by Red Eft Review, September 2021

A.R. Williams is a poet from Virginia's Shenandoah Valley (USA), Editor-in-Chief of East Ridge Review, and author of A Funeral in the Wild (Kelsay Books, 2024)