clouds gifting chances

Clouds drape over each other
across the sky above,
a soft barrier between the sun and the earth.

Gifting the sun a chance
to be alone with herself
in private
permission to take a restful day.
Her rays permeate the clouds still
without needing to show her full self.

Gifting the earth a chance
to reacquaint with the coolness of coming fall,
embracing the act of letting go
and slowing down, slowly.
Gifting the earth and her inhabitants
opportunities to re-calibrate with the energy shift
and look ahead to changes still awaiting.

Breathe deep, slow breaths
of the cool, soft air
beneath the gray and fluffy blanket
draped over and around us.

the clouds come back

Just as soon as I am laughing and smiling,
basking in the warm afternoon sun,
the clouds come back
and the fog settles in,
pushing me back down, down to the ground again.

In an instant everything changes.
How can it happen so fast?
I scarcely had time to enjoy being happy
before my mind took it away again.