Around Columbus Day a constellation descends,
covers lawns in the Valley with millions of yellow stars
like the cool light film of a solar eclipse.
 
Maybe these trees begin their reign as wood deities.
Maybe they rain their version of "cats and dogs."
For sure, they are not reining themselves in.
 
Days later delicate pill boxes appear with seeds
that soon enough medicate our grass and flower beds.
Some declare the golden rain tree a noxious invasive.
 
We know this, but we have other labels.
While northerners revel in the color show of forests
and children stick oak cut-outs to classroom windows,
 
winter crops line our roadways with electric green.
In the Australia of Texas, we need some assurance
that the earth is indeed tilting on its axis.
 
We look to the golden rain tree, its clustering pods,
first golden, then pink, turning orange, oranger, orangest.
Here is our seasonal salvation, eye candy for autumn.

© by Jan Epton Seale.
Used with the author's permission.