I continue my work on the “Autumn” poem, extracting from its many stanza variations those that best express the theme.

The composition consists of eight couplets. Presently, I have whittled the variations for each down to two for the first couplet, one for the second, third and fourth couplets, two for the fifth couplet, one for the sixth couplet, and five for the seventh and eighth couplets—most of these have internal refinements yet to be made.

Now and then, a new idea for a variation interrupts me, but it is a welcome delay. I hope to have a final draft in January.