Ray Leaves
by Michael H. Hanson

He shambles down a road, an autumn road
past Halloween trees and carnival tents
sipping a jug of dandelion wine
scratching a rocket tattoo on his chest.

Dinosaurs play in the fields just beyond
bonfires of books burn and smolder in rain
robots and Martians appear in the mist
bullies disperse from a steam whistling train.

Kaleidoscope meteors flare up above
a mechanized mansion bids him adieu
astronauts hitchhike as his honor guard
escorting this time traveler back to our youth.
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R.I.P. Ray Bradbury (1920-2012)