Today it’s nearly autumn everywhere
for Labor Day has passed and school’s begun
except near San Francisco where the air
is summer warming now we see the sun
at dusk and dawn appareled for the beach
discarding blanket fog and overcast
extending arid rays unblocked that reach
beyond the golden gate until the last
of light caresses us near 8 PM
so we have falling leaves and rising heat
with people arms as bare as maple stems
while carbo-loading squirrels dash to eat.

We’re basking warm, and proud to be the queer-
est climate in the northern hemisphere.