THE FIRST FROST

 

The First Frost

 

The first frost took me by surprise

As, just after dawn, I went to walk the lane

Before the orange sun had any heat at all.

Not that it was heavy, yet,

But hard enough to crispen puddles

And turn the hedgerow grasses

Into the silver hair of the ageing year.

And then, an hour later, it was gone,

Leaving just a niggling hint of winter.